Side by Side
by indigo's ocean
Summary: Edward Elric, the German exchange student, gets 'adopted' by two of his classmates: Roy Mustang and Envy. The trio live through fights, frights, and opening nights, and Ed eventually forms a bond with both that will last his whole life.
1. And So It Begins

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer: **FMA is not mine.

WARNING: This story will eventually contain shounen ai. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

This is a companion fic to "Dear Diary", written by PaperDragonfly and published by me. I recommend you read it after you read this story; it tells the story in Envy's point of view.

* * *

**Chapter One  
**_And So It Begins..._

"Hey! Bastard!" the golden haired teenager called as he stomped into the large house, slamming the door behind him. His bag of books was dropped unceremoniously in the hall, along with his long red jacket. "Bastard! Where are you? I'm home!"

"He's gone, Ed." said a taller, sandy-haired boy, walking into the entryway. "Why are you home so late, anyway? You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

"Don't remind me." the shorter teen muttered, clomping down the hall into the kitchen. "What's for dinner?"

"It's your day to make it, big brother."

"Damn!" he cursed, banging a fist down on the table. It landed with a hollow, metallic 'clunk.' "Aargh..." he growled, ripping off one of his gloves to examine the metallic hand underneath. "...Good, no damage." He flexed the prosthetic experimentally, it responded smoothly.

"Ah... I can make dinner if you want..." said the brunet, backing up. He didn't want to mess with Ed in one of his rages. "You should calm down a bit."

"No, it's good. I'll cook." sighed Ed, getting up wearily and beginning to search the refrigerator for food. A few minutes later, he emerged looking even more frustrated then before. "There's no damned food, Al!" he shouted, slamming the door.

"...You were the one who was doing the shopping this week." Al said quietly.

"Urgh!" yelled the shorter teen, banging both of his fists on the table. "Dammit!"

Al looked at him strangely. "Why are you so mad, anyway?" His brother wasn't usually so tempramental; he only got like this when somebody had really annoyed him.

"You know the counselor, Ms. Vyen?"

His brother nodded.

"Well, she called me in after school and told me that it seemed like something was 'bothering me.'" He formed quote marks with his hands as he said the last two words. "She wanted to know if I needed to have a little 'chat' about anything that was on my mind."

Al couldn't suppress a snort. "That's _it_? _That's_ what's gotten you all pissed off?"

His older brother slumped lower in the seat. "She said if I keep acting up, I could get expelled... which is _ridiculous_! I've only gotten into a couple of fights this year! And those were only with that jerk, Russell! She has no right to order me around like that!" He got up again and began pacing angrily. "And then she asked me if anything was bothering me at home. Apparently she thinks that the bastard is abusive and that's why I keep getting in fights."

"Ed... you really shouldn't fight with him." the boy admonished, grey eyes wide.

The golden-haired teen slumped back into the chair. "I _know_, Al. You don't have to keep telling me. It's just... that bastard Russel won't leave me alone! And it's never his fault that he gets beat up, oh no. They only just bring the bad kid into the office." He 'hmphed' and ran a hand through his hair, undoing the braid and pulling the rubber band out.

"I'll make dinner." Al offered, already setting out what meager supplies they had stored in the freezer.

"Thanks, bro." Ed sighed and got up wearily. "I'll go change."

---

"Good afternoon, class." the short-haired woman said cheerfully. "Today we will be reviewing Japanese titles." She wrote the word '-sama' on the board in large block letters. "Can anyone give me the correct definition of this suffix, and who you would use it for?"

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a blonde teenager with a braid rushed in. He was followed by a taller sandy-haired boy. Their bookbags were slung rather haphazardly on their shoulders, and both were panting.

"Sorry, Ms. Ross." gasped the shorter of the two. "We had to stay late at school."

"It's fine, boys." replied the teacher, smiling kindly at them. "Just take your seats."

The two teenagers nodded and walked to the back of the room as Ms. Ross continued the review as though nothing had happened.

After the class had ended, Ms. Ross summoned both teens to her desk. "Edward, Alphonse," she began. "Why were you two late?"

"We had to stay at school for a while." supplied Ed.

"My big brother got in a fight with Russell again." Al elaborated. He motioned to the shorter teen's bruised knuckles and split lip.

"Ed..." sighed the teacher, exasperated.

"It wasn't my fault! He insulted Al, and called me short, and, and-"

The dark haired woman cut him off with a wave of her hand. "No excuses, please."

"But he's a JERK!" yelled Ed, face flushing with anger. "He has no right to-"

"Look, Ed." said the teacher firmly. "I'm not denying that Russell's a jerk. I'm just saying that you need to stop getting into these fights at school."

Ed slumped. "I know." he said, sounding defeated. "I'm sorry. I'll try and be better about it."

The older woman smiled. "Good. Now the real reason I asked you both to stay was because you two were both invited to travel to Japan as foreign exchange students."

"WHAT?" yelled Ed in disbelief. "Are you _serious_?"

The teacher smiled and nodded. "I am. Weren't you aware of this opportunity?"

"Well..." began Al. "I knew the trip was offered, but I never thought we would get it."

"You two _are_ my best two students." Ms. Ross said, smiling at them. "I felt it was only fair to give you two the offer. You know, if you don't want to go, you only have to say so."

"Of COURSE we want to go!" shouted Ed. "When can we leave?" He was already mentally listing the items he would need to pack.

"Your flight is leaving on the first of January, and we already have the tickets paid for. You guys just need to talk to you dad about this, and find out if its okay with him. Here's your packets." She shoved a thick folder filled with many colored papers at them. "Make sure you don't lose anything. And, if you can go, we need to arrange your passports."

"Great! I can't wait!" shouted Ed, grabbing the folder and hurrying out the doors.

"Ed! Don't forget to ask your father." the teacher reminded him, smiling.

---

"Hellooooooooo bastard!" Ed shouted as soon as he came through the doors.

A bearded blonde man came clomping down the stairs. He had a square face partly covered with a short beard. "Hello, boys." he said politely. He looked tired, with dark smudges beneath both of his eyes.

"You know, you should really-" Ed began critically.

"We got invited to go to Japan as foreign exchange students." interjected Al before his brother could say whatever impolite thing that was on his mind.

Their father looked intrigued. "Really?"

"Yeah. All you need to do is sign these forms and then we'll be out of your hair." retorted Ed, shoving the file into his chest.

"Have you read any of this?" their father asked mildly.

"No." Ed replied. "That's _your _job, bastard. You're our dad."

---

"Here ya go, Ms. Ross." said Edward proudly, slapping the folder on her desk. It was after the Japanese class, and the teacher had once again asked them to stay. "All signed and ready to go."

"And here are our passports." supplied Al, setting down two small burgundy booklets.

The teacher opened one and looked it over. It was a standard European Union passport, containing the name of their country, Germany, and its seal, along with a list of all other countries in the EU and the word 'passport' in several different languages. On the identification page, there was a picture of a blonde teenager grinning confidently at the camera.  
_Name: Edward Elric  
__DOB: October 11, 1990  
__Nationality: German  
_The teenager had scrawled a large signature at the bottom of the page.  
"These look good!" the woman said. "I'm surprised you were able to get them so quickly."

"Ah, well." Edward said, trying and failing to sound modest. "Our bastard dad has some uses after all."

"Ed!" admonished Al, hitting him lightly on the arm. "Be nice!"

Ms. Ross smiled slightly. "You really shouldn't call your father a bastard." she told the golden-haired teen.

"But he is! He's always busy with his stupid chemistry and he barely even _talks _to us! He doesn't even bother cooking! All he does is take up space with his stupid experiments and yell at us if we even go near them! We've been pretty much living on our own since mom died! And it was _his_ damn chemicals that started the fire! It's all his fault!"

Alphonse winced at the not-so-subtle allusion to his mother's death, while Ed sobered slightly.

"I'm sorry, boys." the teacher said sincerely. "I think your host family will be better."

"Who is it?" asked Al curiously.

"Well, you two will be staying with the Rockebells. Pinako Rockbell is a cutting-edge mechanic whose work focuses mainly on prosthetics. Her granddaughter, Winry, is about your age, Al. She goes to Amestris High, the same school you both will be attending."

"Really?" asked Ed interestedly. "So she works on developing artificial limbs?" He flexed his left arm. "This should be interesting..."

Mrs. Ross smiled. "And Ed..."

"Yes?"

"You have to behave. I was only able to secure this trip from your school if I promised you would be sent back as soon as you got in trouble. So _be good_. One fight, and it's over." She looked at him sternly. "Understand? This is a great opportunity, and I don't want you to miss out if you can't control your temper."

Ed looked angry for a second, and then seemed to deflate. "You're right, Ms. Ross." he said, quietly. "I'll do my best."

"Great." she said, smiling kindly at him. "Good luck, boys, and have a great trip. Just remember, keep your tickets safe. January first is only a few days away."

"Thanks, Ms. Ross." replied Al, grinning. "I can't wait!"

Ed nodded his agreement.

"And boys, since this is the last time I'll be seeing you before you leave, be safe." She pulled both teenagers into a warm embrace.

"Bye." replied Ed, extricating himself as quickly as he could. He grabbed his bag and coat and ran to the door, followed by his brother. "See ya in three months!"

* * *

**Review** please. Also tell me if I had any spelling errors; I typed this on WordPad, which doesn't have a spell check. 


	2. The Journey and the Destination

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer**: I do not and probably never will own the anime or manga series of_ Full Metal Alchemist_, or any offshoots, subsidaries, or related merchandise.

WARNING: I am planning for this story to contain shounen ai. There's none yet, though.

**A/N: Here, the Elrics speak both German and Japanese. Last chapter, they were just speaking one language. When the two talk in German, their speech will be _italicized_. When they (and everyone else) are speaking in Japanese, nothing will be done to the dialogue. I apologize in advance for any confusion this causes.**

**Chapter Two  
**_The Journey and the Destination_

The light above him was blinding. Ed groaned and reached up to switch it off, but ended up accidently turning the knob that worked the air conditioner. "Aaah!" he yelled as cold air blasted down on him. "_Dammit_." He worked to turn off both the cold air and the lights.

"_What are you doing_?" his brother asked curiously, opening his eyes blearily.

The golden-haired teenager didn't answer until he had finished wrestling with the overhead control panel. "_Just go back to sleep, Al_."

But instead of obeying his older brother, the boy looked up curiously to find out what Ed was doing. Seeing the teenager wrestling with the overhead panel, he snorted with sleepy laughter. "_It's not rocket science, big brother_."

"_Shut up_." Ed growled, not enjoying being reminded of any of his faults. "_It's harder than it looks_." Finally, he managed to turn off the air conditioner and dim the lights.

Al chuckled quietly and yawned widely.

"_Go to sleep, Al_." the golden-haired boy commanded gently, picking up and flipping through a book entitled Touka Koukan - The Philosophy of the Ages

The brunet nodded sleepily and leaned his head back against Ed's shoulder. "_Night, bro_."

"_Night_." Ed muttered, looking out the window. It was dark out, so not much was visible except the slight glint of stars off the ocean. He yawned widely before turning back to his book. 'Equivalent exchange, or touka koukan, as it is called in the East, is a popular philosophy among many atheists and agnostics of the modern world.' he read. _I wonder what Japan will be like?_ 'This philosophy can be compared to Hammurabi's code: an eye for an eye, a life for a life, and so on.' _Will anyone even miss us? I didn't have many friends, and Al only had Fletcher... who's Russell's brother, the bastard._ 'It can also be likened to the Indian belief in karma, or the Christian golden rule.' _Maybe I'll make new friends here - we've been through enough bad things so that there's plenty of good luck stored in our future. Equivalent exchange, touka koukan, and all that._ 'Any event, whether positive or negative, can be related to a past event which was the opposite.' _We sure _deserve _something good to happen to us._ 'This book will deal with the ideas behind touka koukan, practical applications of a philosophy, and famous people who have used these ideas to their advantage.' _Well, whatever happens, it can't be worse than where we came from._ The leather-bound book slipped from limp fingers as he leaned his head against the cool window, eyes closing involuntarily.

The plane sped on through the night, carrying the two brothers to a new future.

---

The airport was crowded and noisy, filled with the sound of heels clicking against the hard floor and voices speaking in many different langauges. Edward Elric blinked, squinting against the glare of industrial-strength lights, and yawned wearily, catching the attention of his younger brother.

"_Tired_?" Al asked him sympathetically. To Ed's chagrin, the taller boy actually looked refreshed from the nap aboard the plane.

"_Hmph_." he grunted noncommittally, rubbing at his bleary eyes. "_Where're the people that're picking us up_?" the golden-haired boy asked in an effort to change the subject.

"_I don't know_..." replied Al, looking around worriedly. "_Do you know what they look like, big brother_?"

Ed shrugged carelessly. "_We'll find out_." he replied, scanning the crowd of unfamiliar faces. Then he grinned. "_You should probably start calling me _'nii-san' _now that we're in Japan and all. We want to fit in with the locals, don't we_?"

He was interrupted by an excited looking girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing combat boots, a miniskirt, and a dark jacket, and was carrying a fashionable leather purse. "Are you two Edward and Alphonse Elric?" she asked in Japanese, cocking her head to the side and looking them both up and down.

Al nodded, blushing slightly. "Yes, I am... that is... we are."

His brother smirked and nudged him in the ribs. Al had a terrible tendency to get tongue-tied in front of pretty girls. "I'm Edward and this is Alphonse. Who're you?"

"I'm Winry Rockbell." the girl replied, grinning at them both. "You guys are going to be staying with me and my grandma while you're here." She paused for a moment, looking puzzled. "But isn't Edward supposed to be the older one?"

Al laughed while Ed glowered. "I _am_ the older one." he growled through gritted teeth.

Winry stared. "...Oh." she said, laughing nervously. "Sorry."

"It's all right." Al replied magnamoniously, clamping a firm, restraining hand on Edward's shoulder. "Happens all the time."

"Aha..." The blonde giggled nervously again. "I'll take you to grandmother, she's waiting at the front with the taxi. She'll be happy to see you two."

"Right." Edward said, heading in a random direction. "Let's go."

Winry looked amused, and slightly nervous. "Ah, Ed..." she said faintly. "The front's this way."

---

"_You think she's preeeeeeeetty_." Ed warbled into Alphonse's ear as they followed behind Winry.

"_Shut up, nii-san_!" the taller boy hissed back.

"_You looooooove her_." he continued.

Al blushed a bright shade of pink.

"_You want her to have your baaaaaaaabies_."

"_That's disgusting_." Al replied flatly, his tone of voice not quite managing to mask the redness of his face.

"_Not for yooooooooooooooou_."

Winry turned around to look at them, and they both jumped apart, Al's blush growing darker and Ed's grin growing wider. "I'm gonna take you to the luggage carousels before we go meet my grandma, so you guys can pick up your bags."

"Sure." Ed replied, making flicking motions with his hands, trying to tell her to keep walking.

The sandy-haired boy looked at his brother strangely. "_What the heck are you doing_?"

The teenager gave him a look, but stopped motioning with his fingers all the same. "_At least I don't have a crush on some chick I've only just met_."

"_I think you _do," replied Al, trying to turn the tables on his older sibling. "_You're just jealous_."

"..._of what_?" Ed asked, confused.

"_She looked at _me _when she was talking to us_." his brother gloated.

"_Did not_!" the golden-haired teen replied, his competitive spirit kicking in. "_She looked at _me!"

Alphonse burst out laughing. "_See_!" he crowed. "_You _do _like her_!" He pointed at his brother, who was glowering.

"_I _do not!" the teenager hissed. "_That's _gross!"

"_What_? _You like _boys?"

"..._No_!" Ed replied after a slight hesitation. "_That's not what I meant_!"

"_Suuuuure_..." the sandy-haired teen looked down at him skeptically.

"Aaargh." His older brother groaned in frustration, and stomped off to collect their luggage. _Stupid Al. _he grumbled mentally. _I do _not _like boys. I'm not _gay.

---

"Grandma!" Winry called, waving. She was skipping ahead of the brothers, who were taking turns dragging their overstuffed duffel bag.

An old woman turned at the sound of her voice, and, seeing the blonde, immediately smiled. She was wrinkled and extremely short, and her pinkish hair was pulled into an odd ponytail that stuck straight out.

_...She's shorter than I am- than a lot of people are._ Ed thought in amazement. He finally reached the uncomfortable-looking chair she was sitting in and dropped his heavy bag with a huff. The teeenager rubbed his aching back as Al stepped up behind him.

"This is Edward Elric and this is Alphonse." Winry began, pointing to each of them in turn.

The woman stood up, her head barely coming up to Edward's shoulders, and hugged each of the boys warmly. "Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you last! Both of you were only this big!" She held up her hands around the level of Al's waist. "Of course, _you_ haven't grown much." she commented to Ed, amused.

A dangerous aura began to emanate from the golden-haired teen, but he held back his tirade with considerable effort. "...Who _are_ you?" he finally managed to ask, with less politeness than was appropriate.

"Oh, how silly of me! Of course you wouldn't remember me; we met when you were just babies. I'm Pinako Rockbell." She grinned at them. "I'm a good friend of your mother. How is she, anyway? And Hohenheim- how has he been doing?"

The brothers looked at each other, both uncomfortable at giving the old woman the news. "Ah... our mom... died." Al said hesitantly after a moment of awkward silence.

Pinako gazed at them with consternation for a moment, then blinked and began ushering the three teenagers outside to the waiting taxi. "I can tell this isn't a story for the middle of the airport. Let's wait until we get home."

---

The Rockbell house was a medium-sized cottage located in the middle of Resembul Village. Unlike most of the other residences, it was a western style dwelling, with stone walls and glass windows. The small taxi pulled up and parked on the street outside, quickly divulging its passengers and speeding away.

Ed looked around curiously. _So this is where I'm going to be staying for the next three months._ he thought contemplatively. It was a nice enough house, a bit on the small side, but seemed to be well-loved and lived-in. _Not like _our_ house._ the golden-haired teen thought snidely, remembering the echoing silences that filled the residence and the dusty cobwebs filling up the corners. As he walked up the path leading to the front door, he gazed at the well-kept yard, filled with flowerpots that would no doubt be bursting with bright flowers once spring came around.

Winry had run ahead to get the door, and was being greeted by a large black-and-white mutt with a prosthetic leg. "Stop it, Den!" she commanded, half-laughing, as the dog slobbered all over her face.

"Come on boys." Pinako ordered, ushering them into her house. To Edward's embarassment, she was able to hoist their duffel easily and carried it all the way inside. "Shoes off at the door."

The Rockbell house was furnished nicely inside, with soft beige carpets and framed pictures hung on the walls. The golden-haired teenager and his brother, remembering the rules of Japanese etiquette, made sure to slip off their sneakers and place them in the rack conveniently located next to the door. They followed Winry and the old woman into a friendly-looking kitchen area, with a large table and warm wood floor.

Pinako bustled about the room, rummaging through the refrigerator and getting out several canned drinks. "Onigiri, anyone?" she asked, as the three teenagers sat themselves down at her table.

"Sure!" Winry chirped. She turned to the Elric brothers, who were looking confused. "Onigiri is... rice balls. Sometimes they're wrapped in nori, which is..." She looked towards Pinako for help.

"_Seaweed_." her grandmother supplied, German heavily accented.

"...We'll try some..." Alphonse replied, hesitantly. Ed was busy getting acquainted with the Rockbell's dog, who was wagging his tail happily at the teenager.

"This is Den." Winry introduced them, smiling. "He lost his leg when he was just a puppy, so grandma made him a new one."

Edward nodded, mentally reminding himself to have a chat with both the Rockbells about prosthetics.

After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, Pinako shuffled to the table, carrying a large tray full of the sticky rice balls. Some were wrapped in a black paper-like substance, which Ed assumed was the seaweed. He was a bit leery about trying them, but eventually his stomach won out and he picked up a large onigiri, which he immediately stuffed into his mouth. The rice was moist and clogged his tongue, but it had a nice flavor and the 'nori' added a bit of crunch. "Mmph... this is good!" he declared once he had swallowed the sticky mass.

The old woman grinned at him. "I'm glad you like it." she replied happily. "Now," and her face grew significantly more serious, "what were you saying about your mother?"

"She... died." Al replied, looking up from where he had been examining a rice ball curiously. "It was when I was ten, and Ed was eleven. There was a big fire, and..." He bit his lip, not wanting to go on.

"We were all in the house." Ed continued. "It was really late, and we were all asleep, except for Dad. He was in his lab, working with some weird chemicals. Except, he forgot that he left the naptha by the kerosene burner, and it fell over..." The teenager swallowed. "It practically blew up the whole house."

Both Winry and her grandma's eyes widened in horror.

"I still don't know how the bastard escaped - he maintains it was pure luck. Mom never had a chance, the bedroom was right next to the lab." Ed tried to keep down the tears from his eyes. "Me and Al had the upstairs bedroom, and we didn't know the house was on fire 'til almost too late. As it was... I lost an arm and a leg, and Al was stuck in a coma for more than a year." He swiped hastily at his eyes.

Winry's hands flew to her mouth in horror. "That's _awful_!" she cried with heartfelt compassion.

"You don't have to tell me." Ed grimaced with remembered pain.

"Nii-san opted for amputation." Al explained, picking up the story where his older brother had ended. "He said he'd rather lose the limbs than have to deal with the skin-grafting and restoration. So they made him prosthetics."

"I _am_ very sorry about Trisha." The old woman bowed her head. "She was a good woman."

The brothers nodded, each using the momentary reprive to take antoher swipe at their eyes.

"How has your father been?" Pinako asked, wondering how his wife's death had affected the famous chemist.

At this, Ed's eyes seemed to harden, and his mouth compressed into a thin, angry line. "He doesn't care." he growled. "All he does is spend time at his work or in his room. He doesn't even take time to talk to us." He shook his hair out of his eyes angrily. "_That bastard_." he muttered in German.

The woman pursed her lips disapprovingly. "Don't call him that, Edward. I'm sure he grieves for her just as much as you do."

"Which explains why he never visited us in the hospital." Ed muttered under his breath, imagining agonizing tortures for his neglectful father.

Pinako gazed at the two boys sympathetically. "Don't worry, Edward, Alphonse. You'll have a much better time here, in Japan."

Her granddaughter seemed to perk up visibly at the change of subject, and begain to chatter on about the delights awaiting them at her school, and all the new friends they both were about to make.

_Touka koukan... Equivalent exchange... We deserve something good to happen for once._

**Reviews** are greatly appreciated. Also, please check out the companion-fic for this story. It's called "Dear Diary", and it tells the events of the story from Envy's point of view. You can get to it through my profile. I should have the next chapter to this story up by later today, if I can get my lazy ass in gear. If not... I have no idea when it will be posted.


	3. First Day, Part I

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Fullmetal Alchemist, you would _know_.

WARNING: ...future shounen-ai, BL, slash, homosexuality - whatever it's called now.

**There was a little timeskip-thingy, and it's now January 6, the first day of last term. Ed and Al have had time to get used to the Rockbell residence and speaking the Japanese language. Pinako took them down to Central to buy uniforms, and they made sure all the school records checked out. Now it's time for the big day...

* * *

**

**Chapter Three  
**_First Day, Part I_

Edward stood uncomfortably in front of the mirror, feeling like a suited monkey in his dress pants and white collared shirt. His hair was done up neatly in a braid, and he had traded his usual platform shoes for more normal-looking sneakers. He felt a nervous fluttering in the pit of his stomach, and gulped slowly. _I'll be perfectly fine_. he reassured himself, straightening his collar once more.

"Ed! We're leaving!" Winry called from the kitchen, where she and Al had breakfasted.

"Coming!" the golden-haired teenager replied as his stomach gave an audible growl. _I probably should have had something to eat_... he thought, but knew that he wouldn't have been able to keep anything down.

Alphonse and Winry were already at the door, backpacks slung over their shoulder. Ed grabbed his black messenger bag and hurried to join them, waving at Pinako who was leisurely sipping a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

"Took you long enough!" chided the blonde girl as they stepped outside. She was dressed in the girls' uniform - black, knee-length, pleated skirt with a modest white-collared shirt.

"Sorry." Ed replied automatically, mentally going over the things he needed to do. _Check in with the office, don't be conspicuous, know where your classes are, stay away from freaky people..._ He looked up from his daze to see Winry's hand waving in front of his face. Belatedly, he realized she had been talking to him. "Huh? Sorry, didn't catch that."

"We're going to grab coffee, nii-san." Al told him. "Winry says we're early enough to stop at a cafe."

"Sure." Ed replied absently. _Don't get in with any cliques yet, stay friends with everyone..._ The teenager was once again interrupted by Winry, this time snapping her fingers in the vicinity of his nose. He started, and realized they had already entered a small coffeeshop. Every surface seemed to be coated with chrome or stainless steel, and the it had an inhuman, technological feel.

"Hellooooo! Earth to Edward!" Winry was looking at him strangely.

"Sorry." Ed said again, grinning crookedly.

"What do you want?" Both the blonde girl and the impatient looking waiter at the cash register were glaring at him.

"Um, just... whatever." he replied in a lackluster tone of voice. "I don't mind. Winry, you can choose."

The girl sighed in exasperation and began placing her order. Ed slipped back into his thoughts. _Make sure Winry has mints, coffee breath is bad. Don't make enemies, but don't be too weak._ A warm, disposable cup was pressed into his hands.

"Here, spaceboy."

"Thanks..." Ed replied, taking an experimental sip. Instead of coffee, Winry had ordered him green tea. "This is good!" he said, slightly surprised.

"Of course it is." the girl replied haughtily.

They sipped their assorted drinks silently for a moment, until Winry happened to glance at the clock. "Oh shit! We need to get going, come on!" and she dragged Ed and Alphonse out of the shop and down the street.

_And most importantly, don't get into any fights._

---

Central High was much different than Edward had imagined. The blocklike grey buildings were crammed together, not leaving much space for students to slip through, and the main structure was at least four stories tall. Students were already streaming in through the gates, loitering in the parking lots and front courtyard. Overall, the black and white uniforms and somber-colored buildings created the effect of mourning - not a very cheerful thing to think about on the first day of school.

"You guys need to go to the main office first, so you can meet the people in charge." Winry directed them to a smaller building that protruded from the main hall like some kind of growth. The girl walked them through nearly empty halls until they reached a door marked 'DEAN'. "Falman-sensei's in here. He's not the principal, but you go to him for anything you need."

The door opened to reveal a grey-haired, thin-faced man with a friendly expression sitting placidly at a desk. He looked up at their entrance, and straightened his somber grey suit jacket. "Yes, Winry?"

"These are our two German exchange students, Falman-sensei." Winry told him, shoving the boys forward. They stood fidgeting awkwardly under his inspection.

"I take it you two are Edward and Alphonse Elric?" he asked finally, getting out a file.

"Yes, sir." Al replied primly.

Falman-sensei grinned. "You don't need to be _that_ formal, ...Alphonse?"

The sandy-haired boy nodded.

"Which means you must be Edward." The grey-haired man turned to Ed. "Am I correct?"

The golden-haired teenager nodded.

The dean smiled welcomingly at both of them. "I'll send you to the principal's office to get checked in. Just remember, feel free to come to me if anything's going wrong."

The brothers nodded, feeling slightly more at ease with the man as Winry began to propel them out of the door and into another office.

"This is the principal's office." Winry told them as she opened the door to reveal a bright-colored, cheerful looking room.

The woman sitting at the desk was young, barely in her twenties. She had brown hair and a friendly expression. "Hello, Winry dear. What brings you here?" Her voice was soft and melodic, and a slight smile seemed to permanently grace her features.

"I have the two German exchange students." Winry replied, stepping aside to reveal Edward and Alphonse.

Ed waved awkwardly, put at ease by the principal's friendly demeanor.

"Good morning, boys." she greeted them, smiling. "I'm Gracia Elointon, principal of Central High. You two must be Edward and Alphonse Elric."

Al nodded, while Ed introduced themselves, making sure that he was recognized as the elder. "I'm Edward and he's Alphonse."

The principal nodded, handing them both a sheet of paper. "Here are your schedules. At the top is the name of your homeroom teacher, and the room they can be found in." She dug through her drawers and came up with two sheets of bright green paper. "These are maps of the school, but you shouldn't need them long. It gets easier to find your way around. And here..." Gracia dove under her desk for a large pile of books, and handed them to Ed. "Here are your books, Edward. Alphonse, your teachers have been instructed to hand them to you in each of your classes." Finally, she tore a scrap sheet of paper in two pieces, and scribbled a number on each half. "These are your locker numbers. Ed, you're locker 3301, and Al, you're locker 1546. Winry, I'm assigning you to get them to their lockers before the bell rings."

The blonde girl grinned and nodded, and began pushing the two brothers out of the door.

"Thanks, Gracia-sensei!" Ed called, waving, before Winry shut the door.

---

Winry led the two boys through what seemed to be miles of winding hallways until they finally reached Ed's locker. "Sorry, Ed, but I've gotta take Al to his locker now; it's right by mine." Winry apologized while leading Al away.

The golden-haired teen waved at their retreating forms forlornly as he felt his anxiety begin to grow. _I have no idea how we even _got_ here_! he thought nervously, entering his combination 24-34-01 and opening the metal cabinet. Ed glanced at his schedule, trying to decipher what books he needed and where he needed to go.

**Homeroom** (8:00-8:20) - Marcoh-sensei - _Room 301  
_**Period 1 **(8:25-9:10) - English - Nikuya-sensei - _Room 813  
_**Period 2 **(9:15-10:00) - Contemporary Literature - Scheska-sensei - _Room 325  
_**Period 3 **(10:05-10:50) - Math - Garfiel-sensei - _Room 146  
_**Period 4 **(10:55-11:40) - Chemistry - Kimbley-sensei - _Room 512  
_**Period 5 **(11:45-12:30) - LUNCH - _Cafeteria  
_**Period 6 **(12:35-1:20) - Information Technology - Tucker-sensei - _Room 113  
_**Period 7 **(1:25-2:10) -Physical Education - Armstrong-sensei - _Gym  
_**Period 8** (2:15-3:00) - World History - Scar-sensei - _Room 212_

_What the hell_? This was bad. He had no idea where his homeroom was, much less all his other classes. Sighing, the teenager stuffed his science and Japanese history texts into his locker, and stuffed the rest of his course books into his bag. Turning around, he saw a door just opposite his locker. The number on it read '301'. "Thank God..." Ed muttered in heartfelt relief, just as the bell rang. He slipped into class before he was run over by a mob of students, and took a desk near the back, watching the others arrive.

First to come in was an olive-skinned girl with a long braid. She was walking next to a brown-haired girl with pink-dyed bangs, and they were chatting amiably. Others trickled in behind them, each surrounded by their own group of friends and gossipping about their wonderful vacations. Ed shrunk lower in his seat, feeling lonely and wishing Winry or Al could have been in the same class, or even the same _grade_ as he was.

The teacher was the last to arrive; a somber looking man with sharply chiseled features and graying hair. The bell rang as he took his place. "Good morning students. I hope you had a nice vacation."

He was met with seemingly-affirmative grumbles from the teenagers, who, instead of looking perky and refreshed as they had before school started, now seemed grumpy and sleep deprived.

"We have a few announcements to cover before you all go." the man continued. "First of all-"

He was interrupted by the door bursting open and two figures stepping inside. "Sorry we're late, Marcoh-sensei." the first one said in a deep, rich voice. He had straight black hair that was cut short, with bangs that hung over his eyes. At the present, his mouth was curved into a slight, self-confident smirk.

"We were caught in traffic." the teenager behind him added. Ed stared as he walked through the door - the guy's hair was at least waist-length, and it sprung out from his head at odd angles. Its brackish color gave him the appearance of a palm-tree, or something of the plant variety, and his feral purple eyes only added to his unrealistic appearance. The boy looked oddly out of place in the stiff black-and-white school uniform, and his thin features led the boy to assume that he was often mistaken as a girl in public.

"Roy Mustang and... Envy." The teacher said their names as though he was classifying a particularly horrible insect, or looking at something nasty smeared on the pavement. "Late _again_." He glared at the two teenagers as they stood coolly in the doorway. Finally, with neither of the boys giving way, the man let out his breath. "Sit down." he said, exasperated.

The two boys sauntered down between the desks, receiving admiring glances from many of the girls in the class. Ed noticed both boys eyeing him curiously as they took their seats in the back row, and sank down as far as he could. _Don't attract attention, don't attract attention..._ he repeated in his mind, trying to avoid doing anything that would cause him to stand out from the others. _I'm a perfectly normal kid, I've lived here all my life, I don't get into fights, I'm nice, and I'm _not_ short._ he told himself firmly.

"As I was saying before we were so _rudely_ interrupted-" Here the long-haired boy gave a wave and a smile. "We have had the honor to receive two exchange students from Germany this quarter."

_Oh shit._ Ed thought, sinking further in his seat.

"One of these outstanding boys has been placed in our class. Stand up, Edward, and come to the front." The graying man beckoned for him to walk forward.

_Damndamndamndamndamn_. Ed thought as he reluctantly removed himself from the seat and walked forward, feeling his face reddening under the stares of his classmates. After what seemed an eternity, he reached the front of the room.

"Class, this is Edward Elric." the teacher announced. "I want you all to treat him nicely and make him feel welcome." The man paused to allow the class to say hello. He was met with a few unpromising grumbles, and more than half the people just gave him a blank stare.

Suddenly, one of the boys in the back waved. It was the long-haired boy who had came in late. He was grinning at the golden-haired teenager in a way that wasn't quite friendly, but wasn't at all mean either. "Konichiwa, Edo-kun!"

"Noah," the grey-haired man continued, ignoring the purple-eyed boy, "I want you to show this young man around the school. I'll give you both a pass."

The braided girl who Ed had noticed arriving raised her head, and smiled slightly at him. "Yes, sensei." she replied in a demure voice.

"Psh. Noah's boooring." the green-haired boy in the back declared loudly, waving a hand in the air dismissively. "She's not any fun."

The dark-skinned girl bit her lip and blushed slightly, while the teacher looked annoyed. "Perhaps you would like to show him around then, Envy?"

_Envy?_ Ed thought incredulously, staring. _What a weird name._ _It kind of suits him though_...

The teenager looked taken aback for a moment, then grinned. "No thanks."

The older man paused for a moment, then rolled his eyes. He pulled a stack of small yellow papers from his desk drawer and ripped off two, filling them out with neat, precise kanji. "Noah, Edward, take these at the end of the period." He laid the two small sheets out on his desk and resumed speaking. "Edward, you may sit back down."

The blonde returned gratefully to his isolated corner.

"Now, onto other matters. The tennis team has a meeting this afternoon, for those who are interested in joining..."

---

"...And this is the science building. The rooms here are numbered in the five hundreds." Noah completed her tour with a shy smile.

Ed nodded, still not sure what to say around her. This led to an awkward silence, which he finally broke by asking, "Now what?"

The olive-skinned girl shrugged slightly. "I guess we just go back to class. What subject do you have now?"

"Um... hang on a sec..." the golden-haired teenager replied, fishing through his dark colored messenger bag. _Where did I put it?_ He finally pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper. "Um... I have English with Fu-sensei."

"Really?" Noah's nervous smile grew a little more relaxed. "So do I. We can walk there together."

"Sure." He shrugged slightly, and followed after the taller girl. They walked through the maze of hallways again, and, once Ed had managed to get totally lost once again, reached a door labeled "Room 813."

The braided girl paused with her hand on the doorknob, and turned to face Ed, who looked at her questioningly. She grinned slightly, although it looked more like a wince than anything. "Nikuya-sensei's a little..." she paused for a moment, evidently trying to find the right words. "...eccentric."

The teenager looked at her strangely. "What?"

Noah shook her head, smiling crookedly. "You'll find out." she replied mysteriously, turning the door handle and pushing it open.

"You're LATE!" roared a voice from inside the room.

Ed started as a tall, skinny, feminine man turned to glare at the door, eyes twitching furiously. _And now I see what Noah meant..._ he thought wryly as he backed away from the insane-looking teacher.

"Ah... Nikuya-sensei... we have passes..." Noah said nervously.

"How many times have I told you - call me BARRY!" he roared. "I don't care about your passes!" He leered at the olive-skinned girl, who cringed away from him. Then his voice dropped to a raspy whisper. "I would just love to chop you up into little tiny pieces..." he hissed, eyes gleaming dangerously. Then, suddenly, his strange fit seemed to pass. "Just sit down somewhere." he grumbled, returning to the classroom.

To Edward's chagrin, the only seats left were in the front of the classroom - closer to the insane maniac. He slipped into a desk as fast as he could, cringing under the slightly demonic gaze of his teacher. A confirmed agnostic, the teenager made a point not to believe in any god whatsoever. But that didn't stop him from praying fervently: _Please don't let all of them like this..._

"As I was saying before we were so _rudely_ interrupted, today we will be learning the assorted prepositions. In the English language, a preposition is a word that describes something's position. They usually come before nouns. I will write some examples of English prepositions on the board." He scribbled down the terms on the board in messy handwriting. "Repeat them after me. _Before._"

"_Before_." the group chorused obediently.

"LOUDER!" Barry shouted. "_BEHIND!"_

"_BEHIND!_" the class mimicked.

"Better. _BELOW_!"

"_BELOW!_" the students bellowed.

Ed sighed with relief once the exercise was over. _I'd rather not repeat that_. he thought to himself. Suddenly, the teenager felt an all-too-familiar prickling sensation on the back of his neck. Someone was staring at him. He twisted in his seat to see behind him, but whoever was staring had quickly averted their eyes. He did notice a few of the kids that had been in his homeroom, though - the creepy guy with long hair that had come in late, the short kid with glasses, and the girl with pink bangs. Sighing with exasperation, he turned back around and slumped in his seat, only to feel the tingling feeling again. _Great. This is going to be one hell of a trip._

To be continued...

* * *

-grin- I'm finally finished with this chapter! I apologize that it took me so long; I've been really busy with school and homework and orchestra and everything. Thanks to all you readers for being so patient and not sending me messages threatening to kill me if I don't finish soon (no, that hasn't actually happened, but I'm sure it will if I keep slacking off). Anyway, **reviews** are as good as chocolate, which, for me, is saying something. So please, leave your opinion, constructive criticism, corrections, or anything. I enjoy hearing from all of you. Also, check out my **blog** - the links on my profile. I just got it, and it needs attention. And sorry I didn't update sooner; I would have but I couldn't - fanfiction was being retarded, so I have an excuse.

Til next time!

Sirius


	4. First Day, Part II

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer: **Fullmetal Alchemist is not owned by me. Neither is Gravitation.

WARNING: Future gayness. Woot.

**Remember, if people are speaking in italics, it usually means they're talking in a different language. (Unless only one word is changed; that's to add emphasis.) I know it's really confusing; I'm sorry. **

Check out "Dear Diary", the sidefic to this story.

* * *

**Chapter Four  
**_First Day, Part Two_

Lunch. Finally. Ed grabbed his tray and plopped down at a random table, to tired to even examine the questionable rations. He had gotten lost at least twice, and the all his teachers were most likely certifiably insane. Barry was a weird serial-killer type freak, who's last name, roughly translated into "_Butcher_", fit him perfectly. Scheska was a bookworm with a slightly disturbing photographic memory - she only had to read something once, and then she remembered it forever. Kimbley was another serial-killer type guy who enjoyed explosions more than anything. And Garfiel, although quite personable, was a wannabe drag queen with muscles. Ed shuddered. _Who's in charge of hiring for this school, anyway_? _And where do they find these _freaks The questionable natures of the teachers, coupled with the seemingly never-ending jibes at his height, or lack thereof, had caused Ed to dread the rest of the school day.

"Hellooooo Edo-kun!" a voice called from above him.

The teenager looked up, startled. "What the-" Peering down at him was the greenish-haired boy from homeroom, wearing a slightly demented grin.

"May we sit with you, Edo?"

"Um... sure..." he replied hesitantly, not sure whether to stay sitting or to run. _Fight or flight?_

"Thanks." replied another voice. Ed found himself face to face with a smirking teenager, dark bangs strewn haphazardly to hang over his dark eyes. _It's that creep's friend - Roy... Bronco, was it? _he thought nervously. _They act like they're in a gang or something._

"So, o'chibi-san, how was your day?" the purple-eyed teenager - Envy, Ed remembered - asked, pillowing his chin in his hands as he stared fixedly at the golden-haired exchange student.

Edward tried not to get mad from the 'short joke', he really did. But after holding his temper in check throughout all the other snide comments, his patience was rubbed raw. Being insulted by some guy that looked like his hair was a poor imitation of a potted plant was the last straw. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE'S INVISIBLE COMPARED TO A BABY ANT, YOU DEMENTED OCTOPUS-HEAD?!!"

Sudddenly, the three were startled by a loud burst of laughter from across the cafeteria. A dark-haired, ponytailed teenager was pointing and cackling. "'Demented octopus-head'? Haha! That's a good one!"

"Ling, you freak! Get over here!" Envy shouted, waving madly. "Where were you during homeroom? You missed our grand entrance! And, guess what? We're sitting with the cute little German exchange student!"

The blonde glowered at the word 'little' but said nothing. One crazy outburst had been enough.

The teenager grinned and began weaving through the arranged tables to reach them. "Hey, Roy, Octopus-head." Envy grimaced at his newly acquired nickname. "I was really late today. Sorry... We got an exchange student? Cool." He peered at Edward closely, then sniggered. "He's pretty... are you sure he's a guy?"

Roy snickered as Envy patted Ed's golden hair. "Now that you mention it..." He scrutinized the teenager. "If he took down his hair..."

A growing aura of anger seemed to emanate from the teen, but the oblivious trio paid it no heed. "It's okay Edo-kun, you don't look girly. But you _would _look pretty with your hair down." Envy told him, fingers tugging at his braid.

Luckily, any further insinuations that he was in any way feminine were cut off by the arrival of three boys. The first was one Ed recognized from homeroom - a bespectacled, spikey haired boy who looked as though he should be in junior high. The other two, however, he had not seen before. One was blonde with short hair and messy bangs. His eyes looked lazy and uninterested, and he smelled like cigarette smoke. The teenager who followed him was a stocky redhead.

Upon seeing them, Envy hastily took his hand off of Ed's braid and procured a novel. He flipped open to a random page and buried his nose in the book, ignoring the new arrivals.

They ignored him in turn. "Hey, Mustang." the blonde one said, greeting the short-haired, smirking boy. He plonked down his tray across from him, and the rest followed his suit, setting their trays down and surrounding the group.

"Hi." Roy replied, glancing over at the sulking Envy, sitting next to the nervously smiling Ling, and then to Ed, who was looking confused. "Guys, this is Ed Elric. He's that new German exchange student."

"Cool." the redhead grunted, slapping Edward hard on the back and causing him to almost do a faceplant in his food.

The confident blonde grinned from his spot near Roy. "Hi, Ed. I'm Havoc, this is Fuery," he gestured to the timid looking boy sitting beside him, "and that thug is Breda." He pointed to the thickset boy who had almost broken half of Edward's ribs. "We're on the varsity baseball team. Do you play?"

Envy snorted from behind his book, which, after a closer inspection, appeared to be a manga. _Gravitation__?! What the hell is that?_ He was, however, ignored by the group of boys.

"Ah... no, I don't." Ed replied hesitantly, not sure exactly what he was supposed to say.

"Damn." Breda muttered, and Havoc looked disappointed.

"That's okay." Fuery told him politely.

"Hey guys!" a female voice called. It belonged to another blonde, with medium length hair twisted up and held by a clip. She was pretty enough, Ed thought - nothing special, but not half bad. The girl sauntered up to Havoc, who hugged her and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Hey Riza." the teenagers chorused, except for Envy, still buried in his graphic novel.

"Ed, this is Riza Hawkeye, Havoc's girlfriend. Riza, this is Ed Elric. He's the new German exchange student." Roy introduced the two.

Riza grinned friendlily at Ed, making him feel instantly welcome. "Hi, Ed. I hope you had a good first day."

The teenager nodded. "It was okay. Most of my teachers were totally psycho, though."

"He can talk!" cried Ling, jabbing a fist in the air triumphantly.

"Wow, Riza." Roy commented offhandedly to her. "That's the longest sentence he's said all day that wasn't yelling." He grinned at Ed good-naturedly to show he was joking.

His brackish-haired companion made a "Psh." sound from behind the book, and Riza turned to look at what Envy was reading.

"Gravitation? Do you... um... know what that's _about_?" she asked delicately.

The purple-eyed teenager put down the manga to stare at her. "Uh, yeah." he replied rudely.

The blonde grinned and laughed slightly. "Have fun with that, then." She turned back to Havoc and his friends.

The rest of the table (Roy, Edward, Envy, and Ling) were left in an awkward silence as Breda, Fuery, Havoc, and Riza wandered away, discussing the upcoming baseball season. Ed debated starting a conversation with his companions- _but what would we talk about, anyway_? _They're all so creepy... And what would they say_? _What if they all just stared at me_? _And then they ditched me_? _Even if they're freaks, they're the only people that actually tried to talk to me..._ Luckily, his dilemma was ended when Roy began to speak.

"So, Envy... What's that about, anyway? I've never heard of that manga."

Envy grinned again. "Here." he replied, sliding the book across the table.

The brunette picked it up and looked at the back. His eyes flicked up and down as he scanned the summary. Then he burst out laughing. "'The shonen-ai smash hit'? Haha. Nice, Envy."

The androgynous teenager replied by making an extremely rude gesture. "Sloth got it for me for my birthday."

"Lemme see!" cried Ling, holding out his hands eagerly. Roy tossed him the book, and Ling flipped through it curiously. "Cool! It's about guys in a band!" He grinned. "Except it's shonen-ai."

"There's nothing wrong with that!" Envy defended, while Roy smirked.

"What's shonen-ai?" blurted Ed finally, tired of being left out of the conversation.

Ling opened his mouth to reply, but Roy stopped him with a gesture, grinning deviously. "Envy, why don't you let Ed borrow your book so he can see what shonen-ai is."

Envy smiled, and, for some reason, this seemingly-friendly expression unnerved the golden-haired teenager. "Sure! Here you go, Edo-kun!"

"Um... thanks." he replied, taking the manga and slipping it into his bag.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Ling asked him inquiringly. His tray was already empty of food.

Ed shrugged. "I'm not really hungry." he replied dully. In truth, he still hadn't gotten quite used to Japanese cuisine, and didn't really want to eat something that looked like regurgitation from a carnivorous dinosaur. **(1)**

"Can I have it, then?" The teenager leaned forward hungrily.

"Um... sure." Ed replied, shoving his tray across the table.

"Awesome! _Itadakimasu_!" Ling began shoveling food into his mouth at an amazingly fast rate.

Envy looked up at him, disgusted. "Pig." he muttered.

The ponytailed teenager grinned, exposing his mouthful of partly chewed food, and shrugged. "Takes one to know one!" was his cheeky reply.

Envy's retort was never voiced, for, at that moment, a tall, self-confident senior draped himself over the androgynous teen.

_Who's that?_ Ed wondered, watching Envy stiffen and his eyes grow cold.

"Hello, Envy-kun." the senior purred with an oily smooth voice. "I missed you today." His breath caressed the other teenager's ear, causing him to flinch.

"Greed."

Roy leaned over to Ed, and whispered, "That's Envy's brother. He's a creep."

"I'd noticed." Ed muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

His movement alerted the predatory teenager to his presence. "Who's this, bakemono?" **(2)**

"None of your business." Envy replied, purple eyes flashing in anger.

"Well then. Since you won't be polite and introduce us, I'll have to do it myself." He looked up and smiled directly at Ed. "I'm Greed. Who might you be?"

"Edward Elric." the golden-haired teenager replied, adjusting his gloves and tugging on his sleeve nervously. _Is it just me, or are his teeth... pointy?_ "I'm from Germany."

"Really? If the guys there are all as pretty as you, I might have to take a trip there sometime." He leered at Edward suggestively.

Envy looked as though he was having a hard time not moving. "Leave him _alone_, freak!" he hissed vehemently, shoulders stiff with anger.

Ed looked around at the rest of the table to see how Roy and Ling were taking this. The ponytailed teenager's face had grown serious for the first time since lunch began. He was watching Greed warily. Roy looked irate - his customary smirk was gone, and his eyes were narrowed ferociously. The brunet looked like he couldn't wait for the signal to jump Greed and begin pummelling him.

"Don't you have class now, Greed?" Ling asked him neutrally.

"It's my lunch too." the spikey-haired senior replied. "Which means I can stay with my _wonderful_ Envy and the hot little exchange student until the bell rings." He smirked malevolently.

"Go away, Greed." Envy growled once more. "Leave us alone." Although his strange-colored eyes were almost glowing with rage, he made no move to dislodge the teenager draped over him.

"Ah, but I don't _feel _like it." the senior replied, cuddling even closer to Envy. "I'd rather be with you." His tone modulated into immature whining, although there was still a spark of maliciousness in his eyes.

"He wants you to leave." Roy stated, cracking his knuckles and glaring ominously. "I suggest you do so. Immediately."

Greed gave him a coy look.

"Now." replied Roy, standing up. "Remember what happened last time?"

The senior sighed. "Fine, fine." He removed his arms from around Envy's neck and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later, bakemono. And you too, cutie." He gave Ed a lascivious wink and sauntered away cockily.

As soon as he left, the atmosphere seemed to lighten considerably. Ling gave an audible sigh of relief while Roy slumped back down in his seat. Envy shuddered and relaxed visibly, while Ed sat still, both confused and more than a little bit frightened.

"Thanks, Roy." Envy muttered, flopping down so his head was resting on the cafeteria table.

"No problem." the dark-haired teenager replied, looking at him with concern. "You okay?"

"Fine." Envy replied. "Thank God he's not like that at home." He paused for a moment, eyeing Ed critically. "You should be asking Edo if he's okay. He looks pretty shell-shocked."

Roy turned to Ed. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Fine." the golden-haired boy replied hastily, his pride not letting him answer otherwise. "That was... really creepy though."

"First time a guy's tried to hit on you?" Envy asked, amused.

"Yeah... I mean... wait. _What_?" Ed was confused.

The purple-eyed teenager grinned, his former ebullience seeming to return slightly. "Never mind. Listen, don't worry about Greed. He's just a stupid bully. But sometimes he gets even hornier than Roy."

The object of his mocking gave him a rude gesture, while Ed smiled at the weak joke.

"No problem." he replied, feeling himself smile easily for the first time in a while.

Their once-again lighthearted chapter was interrupted by the bell. It's shrill, obnoxious tone notified them that it was time to go to their classes once again.

Envy sighed. "I hate school." he grumbled. "Hey, Edo! What class do you have next?" He vaulted over the table to peer over Ed's shoulder at the rumpled schedule.

"Um... Information Technology." the golden-haired teenager replied. "Do any of you know where the class is?"

"What room?" Ling asked. "I'm heading to the three-hundreds and so's Roy."

"It's in the one-hundreds building." Envy replied, sighing again. "I have to walk all the way to the eight-hundreds. Better go." He shouldered his bag and waved at his friends. "Bye, guys!"

"Sorry Ed, neither of us can take you." Ling grinned at him sympathetically.

"No prob." he replied, steeling himself to get hopelessly lost once again.

"Hang on a sec." Roy told them both, holding up a hand. "Hey, Riza! Havoc!" he called across the emptying room.

The pair turned to look at him. "Yeah, Mustang?" Havoc asked.

"Do either of you have a class in the one-hundreds next?"

"I do." Riza replied. "Why?"

Roy turned to grin at the golden-haired teenager, as if to say 'See, I told you we wouldn't leave you.' "Can you take Ed to his classroom?"

"Sure." she replied, walking over.

"See ya, Ed!" Ling grinned at him as he and Roy walked out of the cafeteria.

---

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Riza asked as they walked across the courtyard. Her breath steamed out in the frosty chill - during lunch, clouds had covered the sky and the temperature had dropped quickly. It looked like it would snow.

"It's okay." Ed replied, feeling more at ease with her than anyone he had yet met. "I mean, it's nicer than back home, but some of the teachers are crazy." _And the students_. he added mentally.

The blonde smiled, her brown eyes growing humorous. "Nikuya-sensei?" she asked wryly.

The golden-haired teenager laughed slightly, shifting his bookbag so it rested more comfortably on his shoulder. "Exactly. Him and Kimbley-sensei."

"Oh geez. You got all the psycho teachers, didn't you?"

Ed laughed again.

"How 'bout the people?"

"Um..." This was an awkward question, as he wasn't sure exactly what her relationship was to his... acquaintances. "They're mostly pretty nice..."

Riza gave a little laugh at his noncommittal response. "Envy, Ling, and Roy. You certainly picked an odd group to hang out with."

"Well... Actually, they kind of just came and sat with me."

"Wow." The young woman looked at him with surprise. "Envy's usually really picky about who they hang out with... which is understandable." She muttered the last part under her breath.

"Are they..." Ed paused for a moment, thinking of the right way to phrase his question. "Are they in a gang, or something?"

Riza grinned widely in amusement. "No, although I see how you could get that impression. They're just very good friends." She opened the door to the building and waited for Ed to enter.

The golden-haired teenager snorted as he walked into the much warmer halls.

"Oh geez! Not _that_ kind of 'friends'! Envy and Roy have been best friends since they were twelve, and Ling started hanging out with them when he moved here last year."

"Oh." Ed replied, still laughing slightly.

"In fact," Riza continued, growing serious. "They're probably one of the best groups of people you could hang out with."

"Why?"

"Roy's _very_ protective, and if Envy likes you, he'll stick with you forever." Her smile grew slightly wistful at this. "And if they hear someone's bullying you... Well, they have _quite _a reputation. Anyway, here's your classroom - Room 113, right?"

Ed nodded. "Thanks, Riza."

She smiled at him, already heading to her own classroom. "No problem."

---

The gym was smaller than he was used to, but it was clean and well-kept. The floor was greyish-colored, while the walls were painted green and white. Central High's logo, a stylized white dragon on a green field, was depicted prominently on the west wall. Ed looked around, trying to find someone so he could ask where the phys. ed teacher was, but it was disturbingly empty. _Maybe I went to the wrong class._ he thought worriedly. Suddenly, a voice hailed him from the other side of the gym, echoing in the cavernous space.

"Hey! O'chibi-san!"

Ed turned to see Envy waving at him wildly from the entrance. He sighed with relief. _He's weird, but at least I know him._ "Hi Envy. Where's the teacher?"

The brackish-haired teenager bounced over to him. "I dunno. He's usually in here." Then he dropped his voice down to a theatrical whisper. "Trust me... You really don't want to talk to him."

"Why?" He was confused again.

"Heh." The teenager's purple eyes narrowed as he leaned in closer. "He's..." Envy paused for theatrical effect. "CRAZY!"

"Yaaah!" Ed jumped away, eyes wide with surprise. "What the hell?" He massaged his ear, frowning. "I think I'm deaf in this ear now..."

Envy pointed and laughed, slapping his knee. Finally he regained his breath, and stood straight again, grinning widely. "Haha... That was great... But seriously, he's _psycho_."

He was interrupted by a deep, jovial voice hailing the two from across the room. "Good afternoon, you two! What are you here for?" The man who spoke was a veritable giant who was sporting an obnoxious blonde handlebar mustache. His tight shirt only helped to accent his deeply chiseled muscles.

"Um..." Ed suddenly found himself looking at least two feet up to meet the man's eyes. "I'm... new, I guess."

"Oh really? Where did you transfer from?" The teacher lowered himself so his blue eyes could look straight into Ed's golden ones.

"Ah... I'm actually an exchange student from Germany." _WAY too close... Personal bubble space!_

The man's eyes widened, and he suddenly burst out into a joyful smile. "Why, I too am from Germany! My family has lived there for generations! _Where did you live? How was your trip?_"

Ed suddenly found himself crushed into a bone-breaking hug. "Help... Envy..." _Child molester!_

But his would-be friend just snickered, reclining against the gym wall. "Sorry, chibi."

The teacher finally ended the hug, and held Edward out at arms-length. "_So, tell me all about where you live_."

"_Ah... Just outside Munich... In a mansion-y type place... could you please put me down now_?" Ed could feel the breath being squeezed out of his lungs. _Why does he want to know where I live?_

"Oh." The giant looked disappointed. "_My family has lived in Berlin for generations. But no matter. I am Alex Louis Armstrong, and I shall be your physical education teacher_!" He placed Ed back down on the floor.

"_Right_..." The golden-haired teenager backed away slowly. _This is almost worse than Nikuya- ...Barry._

"And you," Armstrong said suddenly, turning to Envy. "Why aren't you changing?" He looked at him with something akin to dislike in his eyes.

"I don't have my uniform." The brackish-haired teenager stared back with just as much, if not more, venom.

"And why don't you?"

"My uncle ate it." he answered with a straight face.

Ed couldn't help it, he burst out into racous laughter. "You're... not serious,... are you?" he managed to gasp between fits of giggling.

The phys. ed teacher crossed his arms and glared at Envy.

"I am _serious_, dammit." he growled, glaring at both Armstrong and Ed.

The giant sighed. "I've had enough of your lame excuses."

"It's _not_ an excuse!" the brackish-haired teenager interjected, purple eyes narrowing furiously.

"I don't care. Dean's." Armstrong replied, pointing to the large double doors.

"Fuck you." Envy muttered, stomping out of the gym.

The gigantic blonde man watched him go, smoothing part of his handlebar mustache. As soon as Envy had disappeared, he gave a huge sigh. "The youth these days..." the teacher muttered before turning back to Ed. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Ah... right. I'm in your phys. ed class and I don't have a uniform yet."

"That is no problem!" the teacher declared in his deep, reverberating voice. "I shall see that another uniform is delivered immediately!"

Ed adjusted his gloves once again, sliding the one on his left hand higher so that it completely covered his metal wrist. "There's a little... problem... with that, sir."

"And what would that be?"

"Hang on..." Ed swung his messenger bag off his shoulder and began rummaging in it. After a few minutes he pulled out a crumpled, dog-eared note. "Here." The golden-haired teenager handed it to Armstrong, gulping nervously.

The blonde teacher took the note and scanned it quickly. When he finally reached the end, he looked back at Ed with his eyes full of pity. "I had no idea you had such a tragic past!" he cried, eyes filling with overexaggerated tears.

The teenager found himself pulled into yet another bone-crushing hug. _God, I hate it when people do this. Fucking pity... Dammit, I can't breathe._

---

When Ed exited the gym, he was cheered by the fact that clouds had finally covered the sky. Large flakes were already floating down, and he could feel the light touch on his skin as they melted against his warmth. _Maybe we'll get out early today..._ he thought hopefully, not looking forward to staying at school until five'o'clock. The teenager meandered across the courtyard, content to slow down for a bit and admire the white that seemed to be coating the school. _This is nice_, he thought happily, smiling benignly at the silent snow.

Sure enough, when Ed reached his history class, Gracia-sensei came over the intercom. "_Due to the snow and the ice on the roads, I'm going to be letting school out early today. When the bell rings in five minutes, go to your lockers and start heading home. Also, since it seems that there will be a blizzard tonight, don't expect school tomorrow. Have a nice rest of the day!_"

The rest of the students in Edward's class cheered, and even the grim-looking teacher managed a slight smile. "Remember, I still expect you to turn in your homework." he told them. "You can take the five minutes off to do whatever." He sat back down in his desk.

Edward sat awkwardly, hoping that the bell would ring soon. _I wish someone I knew was in this clas... like Riza. She's really nice. Even Envy would be welcome now, which is saying something._ He laughed slightly to himself.

"You're new, aren't you? I saw you in homeroom." The girl who spoke to Ed was the one with pink-dyed bangs he had noticed hanging out with Noah. "I'm Rose. What's your name again?" Her brown eyes looked friendly and her smile seemed genuine.

"Ed Elric." the golden-haired teenager replied.

"That's cool." Rose looked like she wasn't sure what to say next. "Um... so... How do you like school so far?"

Ed shrugged. "It's pretty cool. The teachers are psycho, though."

"Hehe... Nikuya-sensei?" She gave him a crooked grin. "You kind of get used to it... although nobody's gotten him mad enough to see if he'll actually chop them up."

"No wonder... knowing him, he'd do it like that." Ed snapped his fingers.

"Yeah, no kidding." Rose gave a nervous laugh as the bell rang. "Anyway, I gotta go to my locker. See ya!" She walked off.

"Bye." Ed replied, also getting up from his chair. _That was... interesting... retarded... pointless... random - all of the above._

---

"I'm so glad we're having a snow day!" Winry gushed as they walked home. The quickly rising wind whipped her blonde hair into tendrils that flew about her head, and most of her face was hidden in a fluffy blue scarf.

"Me too." Ed replied, hands in his pockets and head bent against the storm. The rapidly falling snowflakes were highlighted against his black jacket and made him look as though he had a bad case of dandruff.

"I'll be glad as soon as we get home, where it's _warm_." Al quipped, cheeks pink from the chill.

The blonde girl laughed slightly, then stopped walking abruptly. "There's the cafe!" she said, pointing. "Let's go in there, and I can call Grandma so she can pick us up."

"Sure." Ed hurried to the brightly lit bistro. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a blast of warm air. He led the way to a small, secluded corner table, and took a seat by the window.

"Look! I'm melting!" Al joked, gesturing to his dripping hair.

Winry giggled, taking out her cell phone and dialing her grandmother's number with perfectly manicured nails. She held the mobile phone to her ear for a moment before Pinako answered. "Hey Grandma, it's Winry. Yeah, I was wondering if you could pick us up from the cafe; we got out of school early. Really? Awesome! 'Kay, bye!" She snapped the phone shut with a decisive click. "She's gonna be here in like, five minutes. Wanna get a hot chocolate or something?"

"Sure." Ed replied, brushing the snow off his bookbag.

"I'd love one!" Al told her enthusiastically, bouncing up out of his seat. "Ed, me and Winry will go get some. You stay here, okay?"

"Sure." the golden-haired teenager said again, looking bored. _What a loser. He hasn't been here for a week and he's already got a huge crush on the girl we're _staying _with._ Ed sighed, and got out his manga. _I might as well find out what a '_shonen-ai' _is._ 'Destiny is unstoppable.' he read. 'I've tried laughter, I've tried tears; but it always overpowers me. It doesn't care a thing about my fears, it takes my love, and it devours me.' He looked up to find Winry and Al walking back to their table with the hot chocolate. _Already?_ Slightly disappointed that he wouldn't be able to read more, Ed slid the manga back in his bag and sighed.

"Hey, Ed! My grandma just called, she's waiting outside. Come on!" WInry was beckoning him from the door.

"Righto." Ed shouldered his bag again and slid out of the booth. He met the two at the door and they stepped out into the flurries of snow. _And thus ends my first day of school..._

_

* * *

_

Footnotes:  
**(1):** The Japanese red beans kind of look like this... Ed's obviously exaggerating.  
**(2):** Bakemono, I believe, translates into "Green-Eyed Monster", which is what people like to call envy (the sin).

* * *

I hope you liked the results of an all-nighter (for which **reviews**are greatly welcome). I just watched the movie _House of Flying Daggers_, it's a really good Chinese martial arts action thing. And I also found a theme song for this fic: _Teenagers_, by My Chemical Romance. If you haven't heard it, I recommend you get it, because although it's slightly offensive (especially after all the deaths this week), it's extremely true.

And speaking of the extremely sad events this week, I would like you all to offer up a little prayer for all the people affected by the Virginia Tech shootings, especially the dead, the survivors who witnessed it, and the gunman himself. Amen.


	5. Harassment 101, Part I

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** If you are under the impression that I own Fullmetal Alchemist or Gravitation, you are sadly mistaken.

WARNING: Gay innuendoes. Literally. After all, they're the funniest kind. -smirk-

Note: Last chapter, I forgot to thank Steeple333 for telling me that Envy actually looks more like an octopus than a palm tree (which is where I got Ed's insult from last chapter). Also, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers; hearing from you makes my day.

EDIT: Last chapter, I translated 'bakemono' as 'green-eyed moster'. It really just means 'monster'. Thanks to Steeple333 and Dark Angel of Fire Ice for pointing that out.

**Chapter 5**

_Harassment 101, Part I_

Edward awoke the next morning to a beautiful sight. The neighborhood was blanketed with at least a foot of snow, covering the lawn and smothering bushes so that they just looked like lumps of white. And, to his delight, the snow was still falling. The teenager jumped out of bed and threw on his winter clothes: thick black pants, long-sleeved red shirt, and two jackets. Pulling on his boots, he clomped down the stairs, only to hear from Pinako that Winry and Al were already outside. He grabbed a piece of toast, shoved on his gloves, and stumbled out into a world of glistening white.

As he walked slowly down the newly-cleared front walk, munching his toast, Ed admired the sights around him. Tree branches were encased in crystal, icicles dripping from their limbs like frozen tears. The sky was covered in a thin layer of grey clouds, their dull cast only serving to make the view look more ethereal and forbidding at the same time. His admiration of the scene was interrupted with a bang - a snowball flew at Ed with precision and force, thwacking him in the back of his head. Hard.

"Owwww!" the blonde wailed, clutching his head. Snow was falling off his golden hair in clumps. "What the hell was that for?!" he squawked, looking around wildly fro the hidden assailant.

Laughter echoed from behind the porch. Ed turned to see Winry, doubled over in mirth. "That was great!" she gasped, unable to stop laughing. "You didn't see a thing!"

Ed growled, stooping down to scoop up a few handfuls of the fluffy white powder. He grinned wickedly as he formed a snowball with his gloved hands. Without warning, another missile hit him in the head, interrupting his dramatic posturing. "AAAUGH!" he yelled. "What the HELL?"

Winry was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, pointing at someone behind him. Ed turned around to see Al, clutching at his sides and nearly in hysterics. "Al? My own _brother_?" the golden-haired teenager asked theatrically, putting a hand to his heart in a dramatic display of betrayal.

To Ed's chagrin, his dramatic acting was once again interrupted by a snowball to the head, this time thrown by Winry. "All right!" he screamed manically. "This is WAR! BANZAAAAAAAAIIIIIII!"

A flurry of snowballs pelted the teenager as he dove for cover.

---

Three happy, soaking wet teenagers trooped into the house, their faces red with cold and exertion. Ed was, perhaps, the wettest of the three. His golden bangs were plastered to his face, and melting snow dripped down his collar.

"Take off your things at the door!" Pinako yelled from her workroom. Ed was amazed that she had been able to hear their entrance over the symphony of crashes and clatters coming from behind the locked door.

"Looks like she's working on her 'project'." Winry sighed as she led the brothers into the kitchen. "Do you guys want hot chocolate?" The blonde began rummaging through the cupboards.

Ed began removing his jacket, dropping the garment in a dripping heap on the floor. "What project?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing, really." Winry replied casually as she took out three mugs and began pouring milk into them.

The teenager blanched at the sight of the white liquid. "Um... can you just put water in mine?" he asked hurriedly.

Winry looked at him strangely, but complied. "Sure, I guess."

Al giggled slightly, but stopped with a nudge from Ed.

"Seriously, though. What's the 'project'?" He took a seat at the table, followed by Al.

The blonde girl shrugged. "Well, Granny works on prosthetics, and she's managed to develop limbs that actually connect to the nervous system. You have those, right? The 'automail'?"

Ed nodded, rolling up his sleeve and beginning to disassemble and dry his prosthetic.

"She's trying to make prosthetics that can actually send sensations to the nervous systems, so amputees can regain their sense of touch. And she's developing an artificial skin covering so the limbs look real." Winry stuck the full mugs in the microwave and begain heating the liquid inside. "She's actually gotten pretty close, surprisingly."

"So, do you help her?" Al asked interestedly.

"Sometimes." the blonde girl replied, shrugging. "I'm a pretty good automail mechanic, so Granny lets me work on her customers lots of times."

Ed was, understandably, considerably excited by Pinako's breakthroughs. "Do you think when she's done..." he asked hesitantly, "...she would let me try it out? Her new invention?"

Winry gave him a smile. "That's why you're here!" she replied brightly.

---

_So._ Ed thought. _Time to find out what shonen-ai is. _He was curled up in front of a cheerily crackling fire, being warmed and at the same time comforted by the flames. He began to read. 'Destiny is unstoppable. I've tried laughter, I've tried tears; but it always overpowers me. It doesn't care a thing about my fears, it takes my love, and it devours me.' By the thirtieth page, Ed was totally engrossed by the story. Of course, it was a little bit weird when Shuichi and Hiroshi pretended to be lovers, but that was just an act to get them out of class, right?

By the seventy-first page, Ed was still immersed in the thickening plot, but a little bit confused. _Why is Shuichi obsessing about that guy so much? He even ran out in front of his car! And, who is that guy anyway?_

At the ninety-second page, the teenager was beginning to suspect he knew what shonen-ai was. And by the one hundred fifteenth page, he was positive. 'You really have a thing for this guy.' Hiroshi was saying. 'Why don't you just tell him you're in love?' Ed shut the book and put it aside, thinking. _So that's what it is. I probably should have known - shonen-ai pretty much translates into 'boys love'. Well, I don't need to read any more after that._ But his curiosity got the better of him, and he once again found himself captivated by the manga.

Finally, reaching the last page, Ed shut the paperback with a muffled thump, looking frustrated. "It's a damn cliffhanger!" he grumbled, throwing the manga across the room. "What happens next?"

"What was a cliffhanger, nii-san?" Alphonse asked, looking up from his novel curiously. He had been quietly sitting on the couch.

Ed blushed. "Nothing. Never mind." he muttered as he got up to retrieve the manga from where it had fallen. "I'm going to bed."

"Night, nii-san."

The teenager climbed the stairs to the bedroom he shared with Al, deep in thought. _I really, really want to find out what happens next. But... does that make me gay?_

---

The next morning when he reached his homeroom, Ed was surprised to see Envy and Roy already there. The long-haired teenager appeared to be sleeping on his desk, while Roy was completing what looked like his chemistry homework. The dark haired teenager simply nodded in greeting. "Morning, Ed."

Upon hearing the name 'Ed', Envy muttered something incomprehensible and sat up, yawning. He looked at Ed blearily, purple eyes still clouded with sleep. "So..." he said, after a moment of thought. "Did you find out what shonen-ai was?"

"Yeah..." Ed replied, digging in his bag for Envy's Gravitation. "Here." He thrust the manga at the brackish-haired teen, blushing slightly. _Should I ask him for the next one, or not? He would probably just make fun of me... And then maybe he and Roy won't hang out with me anymore, because they'll think I'm gay. Which I'm not._ Without saying anything, Ed took his seat.

Envy once again appeared to be asleep, and Ed watched him for a moment. _He's so weird..._

"Envy hasn't had any coffee. Or energy drinks. Or caffeine pills." Roy spoke up from next to the oddly-named 'sin'. "He's _not_ a morning person."

Garbled muttering could be heard from the sleeping teenager. It sounded like 'MmphgargleRoymmph...g'way.'

Roy stifled a laugh. "Don't mind him." he continued. "We usually go get coffee or something before we go to school, but Envy wanted to get here early today." The dark-haired teenager shrugged in response to Ed's unspoken question. "Something about his mom being a bitch. We won't hear the full story until he can actually function."

Ed grinned slightly, but whatever he might have said in reply was interrupted by Marcoh-sensei's arrival.

"Good morning, class." the teacher said, smoothing back his graying hair and getting out a paper. "I have a few very important announcements, but they need to wait until after I've called roll." He began rattling out a list of names, to which the teenagers replied with a series of 'heres', 'presents', and 'yo's'. Ed zoned out until his name was called. "Elric, Edward."

"Here."

The next name on the list was Envy's. Marcoh-sensei called the teenager's name at least three times without getting a response. Finally, Roy spoke up. "Um... I think he's fallen asleep." He poked Envy in the side, but got no response.

Marcoh sighed and shook his head, marking the teenager as 'present' on his attendance chart. "Someone wake him up, please." He continued taking attendance.

"Envy." Roy hissed. "Wake up!" His efforts gained no reaction, and Roy poked him in the side.

Envy kept sleeping.

The dark-haired teenager thought for a moment, then gave one of those smirks that Ed had already decided could mean no good. He leaned down and whispered something into Envy's ear, his malicious grin growing wider.

"WHAT?!" the teenager yelled, jumping up and knocking his chair down with a clatter. When he noticed that the whole class was staring at him in silence, he hurriedly picked up his desk and sat back down, looking sulky. "Liar." he muttered to Roy.

"What did you tell him?" asked Ed, who had been watching the exchange curiously and was barely holding back his laughter.

Roy shrugged nonchalantly, and Ed almost missed the mischievous glint in his eyes. "I told him you were off in the bathroom, making out with Ling."

Now it was Ed's turn to yell. "WHAT?!" His outburst, although not quite as dramatic as Envy's, still earned a disapproving glare from Marcoh-sensei and giggles from the rest of the class. The golden-haired teenager sunk into his seat, blushing furiously. "Bastard." he grouched at Roy, who smirked.

And to top it all off, Envy was _laughing._

---

Ed was, to say the least, _extremely_ happy when homeroom was over and he could get away from the freaks that seemed to have adopted him as a friend. His euphoria was, however, short-lasting. He felt his heart sink again as a slender arm was wrapped around his shoulder.

"Morning, 'chibi-san." a silky voice whispered in his ear. "Why the hurry?"

"I'm going to class." Ed replied, shoulders tense. _Get off me, already._

"And I'm going with you." Envy replied, his dark hair tickling the shell of Ed's ear. "Or we could just ditch."

"What?" the teenager asked him, looking horrified. "_Ditch_?!"

"Yes. Ditch. It's when you find something better to do than class. Nikuya-sensei's such a spazz he probably won't even notice we're not there."

Although he inwardly agreed with Envy's assumption, Ed still refused. "No way." he replied to the teenager, who was leaning on him and making walking rather difficult. _He's so heavy. What does he eat? Bricks?_

The teenager sighed, detaching himself from his shorter companion. "Fine." he muttered. "It's your loss, chibi-face."

"STOP CALLING ME SHORT!"

---

Nikuya-sensei's class was hell, as usual. Ed was torn between wanting to laugh or run away screaming at the teacher's antics. First they made a war chant using the prepositions, then Barry had them make English sentences answering three questions: If you wanted to kill someone, how would you do it? Why would you want to kill someone? and Where would you hide the body? Now they were having a silent study hall for the last five minutes of class.

Instead of reading his English textbook like 'Barry' wanted them to, Ed allowed his mind to wander. He idly eavesdropped on several conversations, and learned that a senior named 'Clara' had just broken up with her longtime boyfriend, some freshman girl got herself pregnant, and that Envy was bored. Wait. What? Ed tilted his head so he could hear the conversation more clearly.

"I'm bored." Envy sighed to the person next to him.

"...So?" the mystery person - Ling? - asked.

"So I want something to do." Ed could almost hear the pout in the teenager's voice.

"Well then, occupy yourself." his companion replied in a monotone.

Ed could hear Envy's sigh clearly from across the room. Assuming the conversation was over, he turned back to his English textbook, and looked over a list of adjectives. 'Grumpy, silly, whiny, sad, happy, lonely, annoyed, angry, bored, mopey..." He was startled from his study by a loud whisper.

"Psst! Hey, Edo!"

The teenager turned to see Envy leaning forward, looking mischievous. "Hey, Ed." he repeated. "Guess what?"

"What." Ed deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

"You turn me on." Envy told him, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

The teenager blushed for what seemed like the millionth time as he turned back around to face the front. _He _can't_ be serious_.

"Psst!" Envy was calling him again.

Against his better judgment, Ed turned around, slightly afraid of what he might see.

The androgynous teenager was grinning wickedly as he held up a closed fist. Ever so slowly, he raised his index finger until it was fully erect, looking straight at Ed all the while. **(1)**

"_What?_" Apparently Envy's action was supposed to mean something, but he didn't get it.

The teenager repeated his gesture, and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh." Ed's face grew hot, and he turned away quickly, embarassed. He sunk into his seat and prayed the class would end soon.

---

"What's wrong with your milk, Edo?"

"What?" Ed asked, turning to face Envy. He couldn't help the small blush that rose to his face as their eyes met - he was still embarrassed from the events in English.

Envy gestured to his unopened milk carton. "Why aren't you drinking it?"

"Oh. Heh." The teenager shrugged. "Milk's just gross."

"You don't like milk?" Envy's voice sounded slightly disappointed.

Ed was confused. _Why does he sound so sad?_ "No. Why?"

Roy, who had been listening interestedly to their conversation, decided to add his commentary. "It's just that Envy likes milk. A _lot_."

The sin licked his lips in reply. "It's delicious."

Ling snickered slightly. "I'll bet. You would know, wouldn't you?"

"Oh, I do, Ling. I do."

Ed couldn't help getting the feeling that they weren't talking about the kind of milk he was used to.

---

"Hey, new kid!"

Ed was hailed as soon as he walked into his IT classroom **(2)**. He looked around to see who was calling him, and noticed a short-haired blonde girl waving at him from behind the banks of computers. The teenager walked over to her warily.

"You hang out with Roy and Envy, right?" she asked, looking at him intently. Up close, Ed realized that she was actually quite pretty. Her gold-tinted hair accented deep gray eyes, and the top few buttons of her shirt were undone to reveal an intricate tattoo on her chest.

"Um... yes?" he replied hesitantly.

"Good." she replied, blowing a bubble with her gum and popping it loudly. "Sit down." She gestured to the empty seat next to her.

Ed pulled out the chair and plonked down in it, fidgeting with his white gloves - a nervous habit.

"I'm Clara." the senior introduced herself confidently.

"Ed." he replied flatly.

"Anyway," the girl continued, completely ignoring him, "You said you hung out with Roy. He used to be my boyfriend."

"That's nice."

She shrugged. "Yeah, he was good in bed."

Ed blushed. _I really didn't' need to know that._ "Um..."

"But he dumped me." she continued with venom. "_Me_. Homecoming queen, fashion model, the sexiest girl at this school."

"I'm... sorry?" _What an ego. What a bitch. I can understand why Roy dumped her._

Clara brushed off his apology with a wave of her hand. "What I want to know is _why_. You can find out why that little bastard left me."

Ed couldn't help looking at the senior strangely. "How am _I_ supposed to find out?" _And why do you care so much?_

"I don't care." the girl said loftily. "Just do it."

The teenager hated it when people treated him like this - it made him, to say the least, _extremely_ angry. "What makes you think I will? And why is it such a big deal, anyway?"

Clara glared. "It's a big deal because he dumped _me_. And I have ways of making people do what I want."

Ed scoffed. "Like what?"

The girl's blue-grey eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know _everyone's _secrets."

"That's nice." Ed replied, uncaringly. He stood up and began to walk back to his own seat.

Clara's voice called after him. "Just you wait, Elric. I'll make your life _hell_."

_How dramatic._ Ed thought wryly.

---

"This is so boooring..." Envy yawned loudly. He was lounging across two desks he had shoved together, head and arms dangling off the makeshift platform. His hair was so long the tips dragged on the ground.

"You didn't have to come." Roy told him flatly. "Or drag me along with you..."

"Envy, this is study time, not _nap_time." the teacher told him. The big man looked rather annoyed - his dark eyes were narrowed and his handlebar mustache was twitching slightly. Ed thought he could be Armstrong-sensei's twin, if his hair was lighter.

"I _am_ studying, Grand-sensei." Envy retorted seriously. He looked at the teacher upside down, purple-eyes blinking solemnly. Ed stifled a giggle.

"Studying is having a book out." Grand-sensei deadpanned, glaring.

The long-haired teenager sighed. "Maa, fuck you." he muttered. "Hey, Edo. Can I borrow a book?"

Ed looked at him strangely. "You didn't bring anything?"

"Nope." Envy replied cheerfully. "Why? It's not like anyone _does_ anything in study session. They just come 'cuz the teacher's tell them to. It's not even required."

The teenager dug through his bag and pulled out his chemistry textbook, which he handed to Envy. "I thought study session _was_ required."

"No." Roy spoke up, propping his chin on a gloved hand. "The teachers 'srongly recommend' them, but they can't make us go. Envy and I usually ditch, but he wanted to come today." Roy shrugged. "I guess they're good if your grades are bad..."

"_My_ grades are bad." Envy spoke up. He had turned over so he was lying on his stomach, and was idly scribbling in a page of Ed's book. "And this shit never helped _me_."

"Stop that!" Ed admonished, snatching the book away from him. "No wonder these don't help you; you don't even _do_ anything." He looked at the page to see that Envy had drawn a sketch of a palm tree over the periodic table.

Envy stuck his tongue out at the shorter teen and began doodling on his desk. He looked up after a moment of silence. "Hey, Roy. Whatever happened to your bitch of a girlfriend?"

Roy gave a short laugh. "Who cares? Clara's just a slut."

"I don't think she feels the same way, Roy." Ed spoke up quietly.

"What? You don't even know her!"

"I do now." the teenager replied wryly. "She confronted me in my IT class."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Oh geez. What's she saying _now_?"

Ed gave him a crooked grin. "She wanted me to find out why you broke up with her."

"What did she bribe you with?" Envy asked, rolling over onto his back and leaning towards the two boys. "Not sex, right?"

The teenager blushed. "Not bribed, actually. _Threatened_."

"Oh no." Roy rolled his eyes. "Not the whole 'I know all your secrets' crap."

Ed nodded. "Exactly."

"We really need to do something about that bitch." Envy observed. "Let's make a plan." He slid over closer to Ed and Roy. Suddenly, the teenager began sliding off the desks, flailing his arms wildly in an effort to keep his balance. "Yaaaah!" he yelled as he fell onto the floor with a thunk.

The class erupted in laughter. Roy was sniggering, and even Grand-sensei was having difficulty keeping a straight face.

Envy pulled himself up off the floor, groaning. "That hurt." he grumbled.

"That teaches you not to mess around in study session." Grand told him smugly, folding his arms across a massive chest.

"Whatever." Envy muttered sulkily. "There's only five minutes left." Roy and Ed watched him amusedly as he crossed his arms and glared at the teacher. The ominous impression he gave, however, was quickly shattered by his next words. "Hey, anybody have any food?"

---

When the bell rang, Envy vaulted out of his seat and ran out of the room. He was waiting for Roy and Ed outside the door. "I am never going to another study session again." he told them fervently.

"Why did you go to this one, then?" Roy asked as they walked to the doors.

Envy shrugged. "It's not like we had anything to do today." As Roy pushed open the doors, chilly January air blasted into the halls, sweeping Envy's hair back from his face and causing Ed's bangs to flutter. "It's so cold!" he complained, tightening his regulation black jacket around his shoulders.

"Hey, Ed!" A voice hailed him as soon as they walked through the doors. It was Winry, scarf flying behind her as she ran up to them, closely followed by Al.

Envy poked Ed's arm. "Who's that guy?" he asked Ed in a whisper.

"My brother." the teenager replied, grinning and waving at the pair.

"Is he a senior?" Roy asked curiously. "He's taller than you."

A dangerous aura seemed to emanate from Ed. "No, he's my younger brother." he muttered, glaring.

Envy laughed and hailed Alphonse. "Hey, Edo's-little-brother-who's-taller-than-him!"

"Shut up." Ed muttered.

When Winry reached the trio, cheeks pink from the biting wind, she delivered her message. "Edo, we're walking home again today. Granny's still busy."

The teenager shrugged. "Sure." he replied, shouldering his bag.

"Hi Roy." Winry greeted the dark-haired teenager breathlessly, cheeks a little pinker than they had been before. Roy waved languidly in response.

"Heeey, Winry-babe." Envy leered at her mockingly.

"Envy." she said sourly, trying her best to ignore him.

"Bye, guys!" Ed called, grabbing Winry and Al and pulling them behind him as he walked away. He had noticed the not-so-concealed animosity between Winry and Envy, and wanted to get them away from each other before a real fight could begin. "See ya tomorrow!"

**Footnotes**:

**(1) **My friend actually did that to me in theology class. I got what he was saying faster than Ed did, that's for sure. But it's all good, because John's gay... at least, I hope so. And for those of you who didn't get it... Well, I used the word 'erect' for a reason.

**(2)** IT stands for Information Technologies. I don't know if that's a real abbreviation (heck, I don't know if it's a real class), but it's easier than saying 'information technologies' every time.

OMAKE - **Told You So**

Since I took so long updating, I decided to add a little short story as a present. I've had this written for a while, and PaperDragonfly published it for me, but she had to take it down. So I hope you enjoy!  
This story has nothing to do with Side by Side, except that both of them are set in highschool AU's.

The teacher's droning voice seemed like it would never stop. Ed slumped lower in his seat, groaning audibly and wishing he had something interesting to occupy his time. His eyes flicked from the notebook lying open on his desk to his best friend Winry, sitting in the desk across from him. The golden-haired boy grinned and ripped out a lined piece of paper.

With a quiet bounce, the crumpled up piece of paper landed in front of a perky looking blonde girl. Winry glanced over to Ed, who grinned. Smiling slightly, she opened the note. _Hey Winry. I'm bored as fuck. You?_

_Yeah. Possibly even more so…_

Ed looked confused. _How?_

_Because I'm not busy checking out the hermaphroditic palm tree sitting behind me._

_He is not a hermaphroditic palm tree!_ Ed wrote before he could think. The teenager glanced down and quickly crossed out his previous statement. _I was not checking him out! Even if I _wanted_ to, which I don't, I couldn't - he's behind me, dumbass._

Winry rolled her eyes. _If you could, you would. You were probably fantasizing about him or something._

_Was not!_ wrote Ed angrily, blushing slightly.

The pony tailed girl rolled her eyes a second time. _Denial is bad for your health._

_I am NOT in denial!_

_You like him and you know it, shorty._

The teenager's eyes narrowed, and a dangerous aura began to emanate from his small body. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE'D GET BURIED UNDER A PIECE OF PAPER?" he yelled loudly, crumpling the note until it was mangled beyond recognition.

"Shut _up_!" Winry hissed.

Ed was poked none-too-gently by the person behind him. "Listen to your girlfriend, o-chibi-san." came a soft voice from over his shoulder.

The blonde boy's shoulders stiffened, but he didn't turn around or reply. Ed could feel the other teenager's presence way too close to him, making his shoulders prickle slightly. Soon the feeling abated, and the golden-eyed highschooler took a breath of relief. A creased piece of paper landed in front of him, Winry having just scribbled a message on it.

_See what I mean?_

Ed felt himself getting frustrated, but managed to restrain his anger. _No, I don't._

The reply came quickly. _Oh, Ed. You're being ridiculous._

_You're the one who's ridiculous. I don't like Envy, I never have, and I never will!_ He wrote the words so fiercely that the pen almost ripped through the paper.

_Denial, Ed… Think about his sexy purple eyes and his spiky green hair… and his crop top and his mini-skort and his toned muscles…_

The shorter teen could barely refrain from drooling as images of a smirking Envy came unbidden into his mind. As soon as he realized this, he got even more flustered. He was falling into his friend's trap. _Shut up, Winry!_ The note was flung angrily at her head.

"Hey, o-chibi-san." came a voice from behind him.

Ed determinedly kept himself from turning around. He felt the sharp end of a pen poke him repeatedly in his shoulder. The jabbing grew progressively harder, until… "What!" the blonde hissed, turning around angrily.

He came face-to-face with Envy's feral purple eyes. "You have a bug in your hair." stated the green-haired boy, grinning lopsidedly. "Turn back around and don't move."

"Why?" asked Ed, already complying.

"Lemme get it out." murmured the taller teenager, sitting straighter and moving closer to his classmate.

Ed's scalp tingled where Envy ran his long, tapered fingers through his hair. He barely kept himself from trembling but was unable to keep a blush from rising to his cheeks. Finally, the boy's slim digits were removed from his golden locks.

"Got it." said Envy, retreating back to his desk.

"Thanks." muttered Ed, not turning around lest Envy notice his face was bright red.

Another crumpled note landed in front of him. _Told you so_.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed both the chapter and the omake. Thanks to Steeple333 for generously sharing some of her time to be my fact checker - I really appreciate it! **Reviews** are appreciated tremendously, and they motivate me to write. Also, I'd like to know what you think - what's Roy and Envy's plan for getting back at Clara? And what's her plan to get back at Roy? (I haven't figured this out, so if I use any of your suggestions, I'll be sure to credit you.) See you next chapter! ...Oh, and check out my profile. I finally wrote some stuff. -grin- Thanks!

Sirius.


	6. Harassment 101, Part II

**Side By Side **

**Disclaimer: **Hiromu Akawara is a girl. I, too, am a girl. But, alas. We are not the same girl.

WARNING: G. A. Y.

* * *

So, once again thanks to Steeple333 for being my lovely fact-checker-ish person. (Right now, I'm posting this un-fact-checked because she hasn't emailed me back, but as soon as she does, I'll edit and re-upload this chapter. I just needed to post it today.) And I would like to thank all you lovely reviewers, and those who have favorited and alerted for my fic... even if you don't review. I'm surprised this is actually the sixth chapter - it feels like almost no time has passed since I've started this fic. You have to realize, this is a big deal for me - I've never, ever written to the sixth chapter of _anything_. So thanks for your support, and I hope you enjoy what I've written for today.

Oh yeah, I changed my name. Instead of d o g.s t a r.d r e a m s, I am now indigo's ocean. Sorry, I got bored. I don't think it'll happen again though, I'm pretty happy with my pen name now.

* * *

**Chapter Six  
**_Harassment 101 - Part Two_

**(Sunday Night)**

**---**

"Ed! It's for you!" Pinako called from downstairs.

_Who could be calling me?_ Ed wondered, as he pushed his chair out and stood up, stretching. He had been working on chemistry homework for what seemed like forever. "Coming!" he replied, heading to the kitchen.

"It's your father." the woman told him as he came downstairs.

The teenager gaped incredulously. "What?" he nearly shouted. Pinako shoved the phone in his face and he took it, fumbling slightly. "_Hello_?"

"_**Hello, Edward**_." his father's smooth voice replied. **(1)**

"_Um... hi_." Ed replied awkwardly. "_Why are you calling_?" Hohenheim hadn't called once for the two and a half weeks they had been in Japan.

"_**Shouldn't a concerned father be able to call his sons who are living in Japan?**_"

"_Yeah, but you're _not _a concerned father_." Ed made a face.

From the strange rushing noise coming through the phone, the teenager guessed his father had sighed. "_**You wound me**_." Hohenheim replied dramatically. "_**But aside from that, how have you been**_?"

Ed shrugged, forgetting his father couldn't see him. "_Fine, I guess_." And he had been fine - he had adjusted well to speaking a new language and all the strangers at his school. He would have been better if that pushy senior Clara just left him alone, or if Roy didn't call him short whenever he got a chance. It would have also been nice if Envy's creepy brother, Greed or something, would stop randomly hitting on him... _and _Envy. Ew.

"_**That's good**_." Hohenheim replied. There was a slightly awkward pause in the conversation, before the man cleared his throat and began speaking again. "_**School is good, I'm assuming. Have you made any friends?**_"

"_Yeah_." Ed replied. Well, maybe they couldn't exactly be considered _friends_, but at least he had a group to hang out with. Of course, his 'group' consisted of a green-haired, bipolar freak named after one of the seven deadly sins, a sex-crazed bastard with a nasty smirk, and a ponytailed eating machine who couldn't seem to stop smiling. _How did I get _them_, of all people, as friends?_ he wondered.

"_**Are they nice?**_"

_Depends on your definition of _'nice' Ed thought wryly. His friends were sociable, certainly, and definitely friendly - Envy was even a bit more than 'friendly'. But he still wasn't sure if they were actually nice people. They had showed him around on the first day, and treated him with a modicum of respect, but something about them seemed a bit _off_. Ed was certain that there was more to Envy than perverted innuendoes and a tendency to be the center of attention; more to Roy than girls and miniskirts; and more to Ling than food. He just wasn't sure what.

"_**Edward?**_"

With start, Ed realized he had gotten lost in his own thoughts without replying to Hohenheim. "_Yeah, they're cool_."

"_**That's good. Is there a girl you like?**_"

"What?!" Ed blushed scarlet. Hohenheim was _not _supposed to ask questions like this. "_Um... no_."

"_**Well, is there someone that likes you?**_" Was that bastard feeling horny today, or what? He was usually _never _this nosy about Edward's private life.

"_Uh, no. I don't think so_." Unless Envy's insinuations were twisted declarations of love. But the teenager had decided that they were just Envy's own special way to make him squirm and get him annoyed - just like how Roy called him the 's' word as often as possible.

"_**That's good**_." Hohenheim replied absently. Edward idly wondered if that was all he could think of to say. "_**And are you adjusting well to your classes?**_"

"Mmhmm." the teenager replied, rolling his eyes slightly. All of them were ridiculously easy and it had taken him less than a week to catch up with the other students. The only class that was actually challenging for him was literature, and only because he wasn't used to reading books in Japanese. But he was getting better at that.

"_**Are your teachers nice?**_"

_No, they're completely psycho and most of them should be locked up in an asylum... permanently. _"_Yeah, they're cool_."

"_**Is it okay that you skipped a year?**_"

Ed sighed. Back to this conversation again. "_Yeah, Dad. It's not like they even _know. _I only skipped eighth grade, so I took all my highschool classes_."

"_**If you're sure**_." There was another awkward pause. "_**Well, may I talk to Alphonse now?**_"

"_Whatever_." Al, who apparently had been summoned by Pinako, sat at the kitchen table patiently.

"_**Farewell, son**_."

The teenager handed the phone to his brother without saying goodbye.

---

Winry was waiting for him in his room. She appeared to have made herself at home on his bed, sprawling comfortably on the coverlet. Her eyes were closed, and she awoke with a start when Ed opened the door. "Wow, you scared me." she said weakly, putting a hand to her heart.

The teenager looked at her strangely. "Why are you even in my room?" he asked, confused.

"Oh." The blonde gave a nervous laugh, and shrugged. "Well... You hang out with Envy and Roy, right?"

Ed had to make an effort to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I do." he replied in a weary voice. "And I think you're at least the third person that's asked me that in the past _week_."

Winry grinned slightly. "Sorry. It's just that..." She paused and bit her lip.

"It's just that what?"

"Well... I dunno." She gave a slight shrug, and Ed gave her a look. "There are some weird rumors going around about them that I thought you should hear. Since you hang around them and all." She blinked up at Ed, as if asking his permission to continue.

The teenager raised an eyebrow. **(2)**

Winry took this as 'permission to continue'. "Ed, Envy was a pretty hardcore druggie last year, and the people I know who went to midschool with him say he was even worse there. Some people even say he killed this one kid when he was ten, and he got sent to prison."

Ed stared at her for a moment, then, unable to help himself, began to laugh. "What's next?" he scoffed. "Are you going to tell me that he and Roy eat babies for breakfast, or something?"

The blonde glared at him. "Look. I'm trying to _help _you. You don't know what you got yourself into when you started hanging out with them."

The undeniable truth contained in those words was enough to sober Ed. He sighed. "You're right. I have absolutely _no_ idea about these people's pasts. So could you please finish telling me?" he asked humbly. _Although I sincerely doubt that Envy killed some guy when he was in fourth grade._

Mollified, Winry continued. "And last year, Envy got Roy into drugs too. They were the terrors of the school. Everyone was afraid of getting noticed by Envy or Roy, because their life would be hell for the rest of the year. Even the teachers were scared of them." She paused for a moment. "Of course, they've changed a lot this year. They're not into drugs and stuff anymore, or at least not as obvious about it, and they've mostly stopped bullying people. But... a few months ago, there was this kid named Toru Okawa. **(3)** He was either really brave, really stupid, or both, because he went around the school telling people that Envy was gay with Roy and that he had seen them having sex out behind the science building. Once they found out, they cornered him after school in the parking lot. And he never came back. But that was before Ling came. I think they've calmed down a bit since then..."

_This sounds like some kind of messed up soap opera..._ Ed thought, immediately ridiculing the whole story. However, he couldn't get rid of the slight feeling of uneasiness - how much could he trust Envy and Roy?

---

**(Monday Morning)**

---

"Hey, Ed?" a timid voice queried.

"Hmm?" the teenager asked, opening his eyes. He had been dozing off on his desk - it was only homeroom and he had arrived at least twenty minutes early. Ed looked up to see Noah, dressed as immaculately as ever, holding her books to her chest and looking down at him. "Um, hey, Noah."

The girl smiled shyly. "May I sit here?" she asked, gesturing to the desk next to Ed's.

Ed shrugged. "Sure, I guess, but Envy usually grabs it."

"Oh." Noah bit her lip and looked away.

_Oh shit!_ Ed thought, suddenly realizing what his reply had sounded like. _She must think I don't like her and I'm just trying to get rid of her or something!_ "But Envy and Roy probably won't be here for at least another fifteen minutes, so feel free to sit." he added quickly.

"Thanks." the girl replied, her braids swinging as she took a seat. "Hey..." she began awkwardly, as though she was unaccustomed to starting a conversation.

"Yeah?" Ed sat up fully, propping his chin on his hand as he looked at Noah.

"I noticed that you've been hanging out with Envy and Roy a lot." the olive-skinned girl told him.

Ed sighed, exasperated. "Did Winry put you up to this?" he asked. _If she did, I'm gonna..._

"Who's Winry?"

"Eheh... Never mind." the teenager replied, grinning. _I guess not, then._ "Keep talking."

Noah looked indecisive for a moment, than spoke quickly. "Ed, Envy and Roy are _dangerous_."

The teenager raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "How so?"

"I-I..." The girl bit her lip and looked around nervously. "They..."

Suddenly, the door banged open, crashing against the wall from a hard push. Envy strode in, looking around condescendingly. Roy followed closely behind him, his face adorned with its usual smirk.

Noah gave a squeak and quickly stood up. "Be careful, Ed." she warned, before fleeing to the front of the class and her usual desk.

Before Ed could reply, or absorb what she had said, a lithe arm was wrapped around his shoulders - Envy - and another person tugged on his braid - Roy. "Good morning, Edo-chibi-face! How was your weekend? Didja miss me?" Envy asked exuberantly, giving Ed a hug.

Usually, Ed would have some snappy reply or a witty comeback, but... he couldn't help thinking that Envy was acting rather high. And he couldn't forget how scared Noah had been when the duo had entered the room.

---

**(Tuesday Morning)**

---

"Oh no!" Sheska-sensei cried as she opened her drawer. The class looked up expectantly, hoping that something _interesting_ might have happened. "We have no paper left!" The mousy brown-haired teacher looked close to tears. "How can we do our assignment with no paper?"

The highschoolers groaned - they had thought it was something important. "Big deal..." someone in the back muttered.

"I was really hoping to get you guys started on the covers for your book reports." Sheska sobbed, laying her head on her desk in despair. "But now I can't! I'm so useless! The principal will fire me!"

Ed stared. _What the hell?_ He knew lots of people got worked up about nothing, but this was just ridiculous. Finally, getting tired of the short woman's incessant sobbing, he stood up. "I'll go get some paper, Sheska-sensei."

The bespectacled woman sat up, brightening immediately. "Would you really?" she asked.

"Um... yeah." The teenager walked towards the door, ignoring the catcalls of 'teacher's pet' and 'goody two shoes'. After all, it made the teacher stop having a mental breakdown, and that, in Ed's opinion, was much more important.

As he walked down the hall, Ed debated where he should go to find paper. Finally, the teenager came to a room labeled 'Supplies'. He shrugged - this seemed as good a place as any - and put his hands to the door, preparing to push it open. Ed stopped when he heard voices inside. _Maybe teachers are holding a meeting or something._ he thought. _I probably shouldn't interrupt whoever's in there... but that still doesn't stop me from listening!_ So he pressed his ear to the door and strained to catch the muffled voices.

"Do it." a voice commanded from inside the supply closet. _Envy?_

"But I don't want to!" another person whined. _Ling?_ Ed cocked his head to the side, curious, and listened harder.

"Why the fuck not? It's not like anyone will _hear_ us!" the teenager hissed. _Hear you _what Ed wondered nervously.

"But it's _hard_!"

"Of course it's hard." Envy replied matter-of-factly. "It wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't."

"..." By now, Ed was rigorously trying to suppress all the suggestive mental images his brain was providing for the two teenagers' argument.

"Come on. You'll never know until you try." the androgynous teen wheedled.

"But this doesn't _feel_ right!" _Oh God..._

"...Are you still complaining about it being hard? It's supposed to be that way, dumbfuck." The teenager was very close to banging his head repeatedly against the wall... or just leaving.

"Hey! It's just that I've never done something like this before."

"Yes you have! Remember last week?"

"Yeah, well, last week was different."

"Why? Because it was with _Roy_? You need your precious little pony to help you out?" Here there was a snort of laughter.

Ed couldn't take it anymore; his curiosity was getting the better of him. Apprehensively, he pushed open the green-painted door, keeping his eyes down - just in case.

"Hi Edo!" Envy's exuberant voice called.

The teenager raised his eyes slowly, praying that he wouldn't see anything... x-rated. He breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw Envy, fully clothed, sitting comfortably with his back against the wall. Ling was sitting next to him, also fully clothed, and there was a tall, sturdy-looking man sitting on a desk and watching their argument with amusement. He had dark brown hair that was cropped short, except for one strand that stuck straight out, and his vivid green eyes were hidden by a pair of square spectacles.

"So this is Ed?" the man asked, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "I've heard a lot about you - Envy can't seem to shut up."

"Right..." the teenager replied, looking at Envy nervously.

"Oh! I should introduce you guys." he said. "Edo-shrimpy-"

"DON'T CALL ME SHORT!"

Envy sighed. "Fine. Edward Elric, this is Maes Hughes. He's the janitor here, and he's also the manager of our band. Hughes, this is Edo."

Hughes held out a hand for Ed to shake, and Ed took it. "I didn't know you guys had a band." he said to Envy.

"Really?" Ling asked wryly. "That's another thing he can't shut up about. We're actually trying to get in some practice time now." The ponytailed teenager gestured to a keyboard that was propped up next to Hughes.

"Heh." Ed smiled slightly. That explained the awkward conversation.

"Well, we _would_ be practicing." Envy spoke up, giving Ling a look. "But pussy-face here thinks the music is too hard for him, and Roy-Roy's not here to help him."

Hughes rolled his eyes. "Envy, it is a little difficult..."

"No, it's not. You know he can play this."

"Look, Envy, that's not the issue. Ling can play pretty much anything, but it takes _time_. We don't have _time_."

Ling looked from one to the other as they argued, still smiling. "It would be nice if you guys could stop talking about me as though I wasn't here..." he told them pleasantly, and was ignored.

Ed shuffled awkwardly, glancing around for paper. The argument grew louder and louder, and he debated whether to leave or not. Finally, it seemed as though someone had won, because both Hughes and Envy stopped talking.

The janitor finally noticed Ed again, once he had finished glaring at the brackish-haired teenager. "Did you come in here to get something?" he asked politely.

"Um, yeah." the teenager replied. "Sheska-sensei ran out of paper."

Hughes laughed. "Not again." He smiled as he stood up and began rummaging in the back of the room. "I got her this job, you know. She used to just work in a library, but she was fired because she read all day. She was great with kids though - that woman has patience like you wouldn't believe. So I dragged her over to this hellhole, and she got hired right away." He finally dug out a big box and handed it to Ed.

"Sounds like somebody's in love." Envy said sourly, pouting.

"Sounds like someboy's mad they lost the argument." Hughes retorted.

"Um, thanks, Hughes." Ed huffed slightly as he pushed open the door - that paper was heavier than it looked.

"Bye, chibi!" Envy called, waving. Ling and Hughes waved also as Ed exited.

---

**(Wednesday Afternoon)**

---

"So." said Clara as soon as he walked into his IT classroom.

"So what?" Ed retorted, annoyed.

The senior glared menacingly at him. "So, have you found out yet? Why Roy broke up with me... _that bastard_."

"No, I haven't." the teenager replied, moving to sit on the opposite side of the classroom.

Clara followed him and sat next to him. "You know, I've been really lenient with you. I've asked you nicely, I reminded you, I haven't threatened you..."

Ed snorted.

"Okay, maybe I've threatened you a little bit, but I haven't used all my contacts and... helpers. I think you should appreciate how nice I've been to you."

The teenager whirled around to face her, his patience finally gone. "Look - I'm tired of people trying to manipulate me about Roy and Envy. Why do you care so much, anyway? Roy probably dumped you 'cuz he found out what a _bitch_ you really were. Now shut up, and leave me alone. I'm not doing _anything_ for you."

Clara glared at him furiously, then stood up quickly, knocking down her chair. "Fine." she spat. "Fine. Edward Elric - if you're not with me, than you're against me. Better watch out." She whirled around on her heel and marched to the other side of the classroom, back straight.

Ed scoffed and turned back to his computer. "Oh yeah, I'm totally scared."

---

"How come you don't have to change out?" Envy whined. He was reclining against the gym wall next to Ed. The oversized shirt reading "Central High" and the mesh gym shorts looked awkward and graceless on his pale body.

Ed shrugged. He still didn't feel comfortable talking to Envy, after what Winry had told him.

The brackish-haired teenager leaned in and peered at him, looking slightly worred. "Hey, Edo?" he asked. "Are you okay?" His purple eyes narrowed as they looked into Ed's golden ones.

"Yeah, sure." Ed leaned away. Was that tobacco he smelled on Envy's breath? Or was it something else - had Envy been smoking something? ...Or, was is just his overactive imagination?

"Seriously... Ed." Envy dropped all childishness from his voice as he stared at the teenager.

"I'm fine." Ed replied, glaring at him. _Can't everyone just leave me alone? What's their problem?_

Envy sighed. "Whatever you say." He scooted away from the teenager and leaned against the wall again.

Ed wasn't sure whether he was relieved or hurt that Envy ignored him for the rest of the period.

---

**(Thursday Afternoon)**

---

Ed hurried through the empty halls, his messenger bag slung over his shoulders. He felt a strange uneasiness - the school seemed empty, as nearly everyone was attending study session. The teenager allowed himself a smirk as he passed the classrooms full of studious highschoolers. He, himself, had an excuse - Pinako was helping an old friend pack for moving, and she had ordered him, Al, and Winry to come home as soon as possible to watch the house. Skipping study session was probably the only good thing that had happened the whole day - Envy had been ignoring him, Noah kept giving him weird looks, and Clara told him to 'watch out' during his IT class. _What is wrong with my life?_ he asked himself. Then he smiled. _Doesn't matter now. I'm going home early!_

The smile left Ed's face as he was pushed roughly against a bank of lockers. "What the hell?" He turned angrily to see his assailant, and came face to face with three hulking senior boys. "Um... Feel free to go on your merry little way." the teenager said nervously, making shooing motions with his hands.

"Shut up." one of the boys grunted, slamming Ed against the lockers again and jamming his elbow against the teenager's throat.

_Why the hell are they attacking me?_ Ed asked himself as his head slammed against the cold metal of a locker door, causing stars to spark in front of his eyes. He gasped as the air was driven out of his lungs by a powerful punch. The only thing that stopped him from doubling over was the elbow pressed into his windpipe. "Stop..." He weakly kicked out in an effort to make the guy let go of him. Suddenly, the pressure against his throat was released and he sank to the ground, gasping gratefully for air. But the respite was short lived - as soon as he fell to the ground, one of the other seniors kicked his ribs. "Aaah..." Ed gasped.

A face materialized above him. "_This_ is what you get for defying me, Edward." Clara said smugly, giving him a condescending look. "Have at it, boys."

"Crazy... bitch..." Ed gasped, before another well placed kick numbed his entire thigh. _God... Help... I need help... _he prayed desperately. "Help... Envy..." he cried weakly, before something hit his head and everything went black.

* * *

**Footnotes:  
****(1)** Edward's talking in German, so his speech is italicized. Hohenheim's talking in German AND he's on the phone, so his speech is in both bold and italics.  
**(2)** I wish I could do that... Heh. I also realized that Ed's acting a lot like Sasuke in this little section.  
**(3) **Toru Okawa is actually Roy Mustang's seiyuu (Japanese voice actor) for the anime. He has a damn sexy voice. AND he can sing. If you're a Roy Mustang fangirl, download _'Tsuki no Uragawa'_. It's Roy's image song from FMA, and it's kind of upbeat and... seductive. Yeah.

* * *

**TODAY** (May 27) **IS MY BIRTHDAY!!** I'm finally fifteen!! So, since it's my birthday, this is my present to you - ten pages of drama... Wow, I did so much otaku stuff on Friday. First, we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean Three, which was _amazing_, and then we went to the mall. I got the FMA movie (yay!) and a chibi Ed patch to put... somewhere. Suggestions? Anyway, Sai (Renodori) gave me her FMA t-shirt, and we went to Barnes and Nobles to get the sixth volume of Gravitation. Sloth (xOProcrastinator) wasn't to pleased about it, but me and Sai were going fangirl-ballistic. And then I got my ears pierced. Which was pretty cool. And I'm pretty sure that was a ton of useless and pointless information, but I'm so happy that I have to tell everyone! Except my mom's pissed because I spent the whole sixty dollars she gave me... -winces- Ah well. 

Anyway, **review!** Because it's my birthday. And I like reviews. And they might make me update faster, so you can find out what happens. **And make sure to read ****Dear Diary****, the sidefic to this, for Envy's perspective.**

-Indigo


	7. The Inerasable Sin

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Wouldn't it be weird if I actually _was_ Hiromu Akawara? ...But, alas, I'm not.

WARNING: Homphobes, beware. Yaoi lovers... -sweatdrop-... have fun.

**Songs:** I decided to have a theme song for each chapter, so the song of this chapter is "Wind", by _Akeboshi_. It's the first Naruto ending theme. I don't think it quite fits this chapter, but it's the best I can do. Last chapter's theme song was "Somebody Told Me", by _the Killers_. Three guesses why I chose that.

GAH!! DRAMA!! I HATE drama. And yet, I love writing it. Well, whaddya know. I left off at a pretty crazy place last chapter, didn't I? Oh well, it doesn't matter now - I updated faster! And now that summer break's here, and I'm only going to summer school (to get history over with), updates should be sooner. But then again, when summer comes, I start _really_ getting busy... what with Wildlife Rescue, my Japanese correspondence course, and working on next year's science fair project... -grimace- This is going to be an interesting break. Blech.

Anyway, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and folks; I wouldn't be able to keep this up without your encouragement. Quite honestly, I was **overwhelmed **by the response to last chapter. Keep it coming!  
And special 'thank you's go out to Steeple333, for being my ever-patient fact checker, and Dark Angel of Fire Ice, for her lovely help with my research - I've learned a lot! Also, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Zion-chan and Falling Tears of Death, because they're my fanfiction buds, and they wrote me little birthday presents. Hehe. Luv ya, guys!

* * *

Recap:

_Ed hurried through the empty halls, his messenger bag slung over his shoulders. He felt a strange uneasiness - the school seemed empty, as nearly everyone was attending study session. The teenager allowed himself a smirk as he passed the classrooms full of studious highschoolers. He, himself, had an excuse - Pinako was helping an old friend pack for moving, and she had ordered him, Al, and Winry to come home as soon as possible to watch the house. Skipping study session was probably the only good thing that had happened the whole day - Envy had been ignoring him, Noah kept giving him weird looks, and Clara told him to 'watch out' during his IT class. _What is wrong with my life? _he asked himself. Then he smiled. _Doesn't matter now. I'm going home early!

_The smile left Ed's face as he was pushed roughly against a bank of lockers. "What the hell?" He turned angrily to see his assailant, and came face to face with three hulking senior boys. "Um... Feel free to go on your merry little way." the teenager said nervously, making shooing motions with his hands._

_"Shut up." one of the boys grunted, slamming Ed against the lockers again and jamming his elbow against the teenager's throat._

Why the hell are they attacking me?_ Ed asked himself as his head slammed against the cold metal of a locker door, causing stars to spark in front of his eyes. He gasped as the air was driven out of his lungs by a powerful punch. The only thing that stopped him from doubling over was the elbow pressed into his windpipe. "Stop..." He weakly kicked out in an effort to make the guy let go of him. Suddenly, the pressure against his throat was released and he sank to the ground, gasping gratefully for air. But the respite was short lived - as soon as he fell to the ground, one of the other seniors kicked his ribs. "Aaah..." Ed gasped._

_A face materialized above him. "_This _is what you get for defying me, Edward." Clara said smugly, giving him a condescending look. "Have at it, boys."_

_"Crazy... bitch..." Ed gasped, before another well placed kick numbed his entire thigh. _God... Help... I need help...

* * *

**Chapter Seven  
**_The Inerasable Sin_

His eyes snapped back open and he saw stars when someone grabbed his braid and slammed him against the lockers. "Look... lay off..." he mumbled, trying to search for a way to defend himself. Ed's arms were raised weakly to try and ward off the unpredictable blows, but he was having little success so far. As a particularly nasty kick hit his shoulder, he let out a faint cry.

"Shut up." one of the boys, blonde and bulky, grunted, covering Ed's mouth with a sweaty hand. But apparently his cry was enough to attract _someone's_ attention, because suddenly:

"Hello, boys." a smooth voice called from down the hall. Miraculously, the seniors stopped their merciless beating, and Ed took a shuddering breath before trying to see who his savior was. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. "It looks like you're having a lot of fun. May I ask what you might be doing?" Was that Russell? The teenager shook his head. _They must've hit me too hard, because I could have sworn it was him..._

Ed heard two steps of footsteps stalking down the hall, and once again tried to see the people his assailants were so fascinated by. But his neck gave a slight twinge of pain, and he winced before going back to his former position, staring at the ceiling.

"It seemed to us like you were beating up on some poor kid. So we came to join the fun..." the person continued, and Ed began to worry. _Maybe it's not really people coming to save me. Maybe they're just more of Clara's thugs._ "After all, it's not fair when you've got them outnumbered." The teenager breathed a sigh of relief.

"Envy..." The blonde senior backed up a step or two, away from the approaching figures. "Roy... Look guys, we were just..."

"'We were just' what?" Envy mocked. _Envy, not Russell. I'm in Japan, now, remember?_ Ed reminded himself, trying to sit up and watch the inevitable fight.

"Look, it was just a job." Now all three seniors looked nervous.

"Just a job." Envy spat, stalking up to them. "Just. A. Job." He suddenly lunged towards the leading attacker and pinned him against the lockers - hard. "Well, then, I guess it's just _my_ job to kick your sorry little _ass_ into next. Fucking. Week." The brackish-haired teenager pressed up closely against the blonde thug, invading his personal space. His face was contorted with pure hatred. "No one messes with _my_ Edo and gets away with it."

"Ah... no... Really..." the blonde made a few weak attempts to escape Envy's grip. "Look, I can explain."

"I don't _care_ about your fucking explanations." Envy hissed. Abruptly, he flung the senior to the side, as though he were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. "I am going to do to you what you did to Ed. And I'm going to have one _hell _of a time."

Ed's view of the fight was suddenly cut off by Roy, who had knelt down next to him. "What happened?" he asked, peering at Ed concernedly.

"They did." the teenager answered wryly. He made as if to jerk his head in the direction of the fleeing seniors, but winced and thought better of it.

Roy gave a slight smile at Edward's attempt at a joke. "Where does it hurt?"

The teenager couldn't resist snorting. "Everywhere." he answered sardonically. "They kicked me a couple of times in the leg, once in the head, lots in the ribs..." He gestured vaguely. "What's Envy gonna do to them?"

"Nothing good, I can guarantee you that. When Envy gets mad, he gets _mad_. Trust me." As he spoke, Roy cupped Ed's chin in his hands and turned his face towards the light. "You, my friend, are going to have a nasty black eye tomorrow."

"Are you _serious_?" _I'm so screwed..._ Ed was practically panicking. "I can't go home looking like this! What will Al and Winry and Pinako say?"

Roy grinned crookedly. "Nothing, if they know what's good for them. Envy's still going on a homicidal rampage back there, and knowing him, he won't calm down until somebody's on the floor. Preferably unconscious and bleeding." Ed winced, and he shrugged. "That's Envy for you. If he likes you, he _really_ likes you. He can be overprotective as _hell._"

Well, that definitely led credence to Winry's wild story that Envy had killed someone when he was ten. _But still... He did come to save me. Maybe he isn't as bad as I was thinking._

"Can you move it?" Roy was now gently gripping his left arm, checking for swelling and possible breaks.

"Yeah, it's fine." Ed flexed his arm, feeling slight soreness but nothing else.

"And the other one?" Roy asked, reaching for his right arm.

The teenager held it out of his reach. "Yeah, it's fine." And it was - Ed couldn't feel pain through his prosthetic limbs.

He was given a slightly odd look, but Roy asked no questions. "How 'bout your legs?"

Ed stretched them both out, feeling a dull throbbing in his left thigh. When he had fully extended his legs, the muffled pain grew more pronounced. He hissed slightly through his teeth, then swallowed. "Fine."

"Good. Lemme go get Envy, and then we can take you to go get patched up." Before the teenager could reply, Roy had stood and was heading down the hall where he had last seen Envy chase the three seniors.

Leaning back against the lockers, Ed fully examined the damage done to his body for the first time. He gingerly probed his face and decided that Roy was right - he would definitely have an interesting collection of bruises, along with a slight gash on his cheek, apparently from one of his assailants' rings. His flesh arm was slightly stiff, and he knew it would be sore tomorrow, but the damage wasn't all that bad. And luckily, his prosthetics hadn't been damaged at all. His ribs were definitely worse off than the rest of his body - he could already feel them swelling and, when he tried to twist his body around, they twinged uneasily. Hopefully they weren't broken. He was grateful that his legs were relatively undamaged, with only some nasty swelling on his thigh where the dark-haired attacker had kicked him.

Ed's self examination was interrupted by Roy's return. The dark-haired teenager was dragging a still-fuming Envy. His knuckles were bruised and slightly bloody, and red was spattered across his cheek - apparently someone else's blood, as he remained uninjured. Seeing Ed, he gave an inscrutable look, and said nothing.

"All right, let's get going." Roy called, motioning for Ed. "Can you stand?"

"Um..." The teenager hoisted himself up on shaking legs, leaning against the lockers. Suddenly, his injured leg cramped violently and almost gave out. Before he could fall down completely, Ed felt himself supported by someone's strong, wiry arms. He looked behind him to see Envy, still wearing an unreadable expression. The teenager picked him up bridal-style and carried him down the hall, following Roy.

As he was borne across the parking lot, Ed glanced surreptitiously up at Envy. He was worried that the normally exuberant, or at least obnoxious, teenager hadn't spoken yet. To say the least, it was abnormal. _Is he mad at me?_ Ed wondered. _I was being kind of... odd around him, I guess. And I suppose I still am - I really don't feel comfortable, being held like this..._

The two walked in awkward silence until they reached Roy's car, a sleek, black Nissan with silver-tinted windows. Envy gently laid him in the back before shutting the door and moving to sit in the passenger seat, still maddeningly silent.

Roy clambered into the driver's seat and started the car with a low, smooth rumble. "Where to?" he asked, looking at Ed, then Envy.

Ed shrugged. "Wherever, I guess. I kinda don't want to go home looking like this."

"Your house." Envy said emphatically, flexing his bruised hands. "Not mine."

"Fine." the dark-haired teen replied, giving a slight laugh. "My house it is, then."

---

Roy's house was a nice looking suburban dwelling in a nice looking suburban neighborhood. The small lawn was grassy and well kept, and the house itself was painted a fresh, spotless cream. Artfully placed windows looked out onto a neatly paved street and leveled sidewalk, and the neighbors' houses were just as tasteful.

Envy gave a snort as they pulled up into the driveway. "They're all such fakers." he muttered, before jumping out opening Ed's passenger door. Without further comment, he scooped up the teenager and carried him to the door, which Roy was unlocking.

As he was being carried through the entry hall, Ed took the chance to look around. The house was a mishmash of traditional Japanese and modern Western styles - rice paper screens divided rooms carpeted in rich beige. The kitchen looked ultra-modern, sporting the nearly every timesaving convenience Ed had ever imagined, while the living room was more traditional, with a low table, potted bamboo, and a futon accompanying the widescreen plasma TV. This was the room Envy entered, without direction from Roy. He gently lay Ed down on the futon and then walked off - presumably to the kitchen.

Roy walked in a moment later to kneel down in front of him. "Envy went to go get bandages and ointment and stuff." he explained. "Can you take off your jacket?"

Ed gave him a look.

"It's to dress the bruises." The dark-haired teenager rolled his eyes. "I'm not Envy. I won't _molest_ you or anything."

"I heard that." called Envy as he walked into the room carrying a first aid kit. Without looking at Ed, he placed it on the table and went out through the back door.

"What's wrong with him?" the teenager asked as he unzipped the regulation black jacket. "He hasn't said _anything _to me."

Roy looked at Ed. "Maybe that's because _you_ haven't said anything to _him_. You've been avoiding both of us, and it's getting ridiculous. We don't even know _why_." He took Ed's jacket when it was handed to him and laid it on the floor. "Care to explain?"

The teenager sighed and closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. "I was being... stupid. All these people - Rose, Noah, Winry - they were telling me rumors about you guys. They said Envy was a huge druggie, and he made you one too, and you used to go around terrorizing all the students and teachers, and that Envy had killed someone when he was ten-"

Here Roy interrupted with a slight snort of laughter. "Wow." he said, giving another nervous laugh. "I had no idea we were a subject of that much conversation."

Ed gave him a challenging look. "So are you saying that all those rumors were _lies_?"

"Look." Roy sobered immediately. "Not... not all of them were lies. I suppose we _were_ a bit crazy freshman year... I mean, the drugs were good and all that." Ed widened his eyes and Roy shook his head. "Yeah, it was a mistake, and we're over it now. At least, I am. Envy... I'm not sure if he ever really quit all that or not, but he's _way_ better than he used to be. And all that's in the past, Ed. We don't deserve this kind of treatment just because of some rumors a few teenage girls told you."

"I have been pretty nasty the past couple of days, haven't I?" It was Ed's turn to explain. "It's just that... I don't know. I wasn't sure if I could trust you guys, and those rumors really scared me."

"Have we ever given you reason _not_ to trust us?" Roy gripped Ed's chin and turned his head so they were eye to eye. He gave the teenager a challenging glare. "_Have _we?"

Ed stared right back into his dark, slanted eyes. "No, you haven't." he replied steadily.

The dark-haired teenager dropped his chin as the seriousness left his eyes and he gave his customary smirk. "And I'll make sure we won't. Now, take of your shirt."

"_What?!_" Ed gaped.

Roy smacked his forehead, exasperated. "Look. Your shirt is _long-sleeved._ I just need to see your _arms_, so I can take _care_ of them."

_Shit._ _There's no way I can get out of it now without causing a scene. But I have to try._ "Um... No, you don't have to. I'm fine." He gave what he knew to be a cheesy looking smile.

"You got beat up pretty bad, Ed."

"No, no, I'm fine, really. There's no need to be taking off any of my clothing." _That sounded dirty._

The teenager raised an eyebrow at him. "It's just your shirt..."

_No, it's not _just_ my shirt. It's all my secrets._ Ed thought, panicking. _What will he think of me when he finds out? I don't want to be treated as some kind of invalid who can't look after themselves. I don't want him _or_ Envy to stop being my friends, now that I just got them back._

Apparently noticing his panicked stare, Roy stopped his efforts to pull off Ed's clothing. "Why are you making such a big deal about this? It's not like you're a secret cutter or something... are you?"

Ed bit his lip. _He said I could trust him. And I'm going to have to do that just now. It's all going to come out sooner or later; why not sooner?_ With shaking fingers, he unbuttoned his uniform shirt and slipped out of it. He heard Roy give a slight gasp and imagined how he might look: his left arm was tanned and almost muscular, while his chest was also tanned and sported what could soon become a six-pack. His upper chest was likewise muscled - the legacy of spending long hours in the gym to rebuild his ruined physique. Growing bruises mottled his ribs and shoulder, but aside from that, one could so far describe his body as 'normal'. However, around his left shoulder, the skin was scarred and pale, each ridge showing the indelicate incisions of the surgeon's knife. It puckered into a metal port, where his prosthetic, mechanized arm was attached. It gleamed with a sharp metallic tone in contrast to the warm colors of his skin, and it felt cold to the touch as he slipped off his gloves. **(1) **Ed gave Roy a challenging look, as though daring him to turn away.

"Wow, Ed. You're _hot_." Roy was giving his customary smirk, looking Ed up and down. **(2)** "You've got a _great_ body, for being so... short."

His previous nervousness evaporated, replaced by the customary defensiveness about his height. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE SHOULD HAVE THE BODY OF A SHRIMP?!" Ed yelled into the teenager's face.

"Um... yeah. I was hoping to actually _hear_ when I got older." Roy remarked, wincing as he stuck a finger into one ear and wiggled it around.

"Sorry, but you asked for it." Ed replied, grinning smugly. He felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his soul with Roy's casual acceptance of his metal limb. _What was I so worried about, anyway?_ he wondered lightly.

Roy looked at him blankly. "Did you say something? I think I just went d_eaf_."

This sent the teenager into a fit of laughing. "Haha..." he gasped. Suddenly, pain flared in his side and he clutched at his ribs, choking.

"Oh _shit_." Roy grabbed him and pried his arms away from his sides. "Ed... Ed, are you okay?" he asked frantically.

The teenager gasped for breath, and was almost sent into another fit of giggles at the look on his companion's face. "I'm _fine_." he said, amused. "But you should probably start doing your job and looking after these bruises."

"Sorry." But Roy was still smirking as he examined Ed. "Hmm... It looks like you're gonna be _really_ sore in the morning." he commented.

"Oh, gee, thanks. I had _no_ idea." The teenager rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be helpful here." Roy poked one of the discolorations on his ribs, causing Ed to hiss. "Okay, I don't think your ribs are broken or cracked or anything like that. You got off lucky."

"That's not what it _feels_ like."

"Yeah, bruises may hurt, but at least they'll go away in a few days. Broken bones on the other hand... They pretty much ruin your life." The dark-haired teenager quipped as he spread some ointment on Ed's spreading bruises, then moved onto his arm. "Ooh, there's a nasty swelling there." He winced in sympathy. "Not much I can do about that... Lemme go get some ice." A few moments later, he was back with a few ice cubes wrapped in a wet washcloth. "Just hold that there for a while, it should keep the swelling down." Next, Roy examined the gash on his face. It wasn't that big, but it was definitely noticeable, and bloody. The teenager cleaned it out and slapped on a band-aid. "That's good enough. Band-aids make everyone feel better."

Ed gave him a look. "I'm not _five_." he said dryly.

"Oh, heh. Sorry about that. It's just something my mom always used to tell me. Anyway, it looks like you're _not _going to have a black eye after all - you're one lucky bastard."

"If anyone's the _bastard_, Roy..."

"Shut up." The dark-haired teenager rolled his eyes, already used to Ed's nickname for him. "_As I was saying_, you won't get a black eye, but you'll have plenty of other bruises to make up for it. And you might want to do something about the one's on your throat. They look kind of... suggestive." Roy gave him a wink.

Ed huffed. "Oh, _please_. Do you ever think of something besides sex?"

"...Miniskirts?"

The teenager snorted. "Okay, are you finished?" When Roy nodded, he picked up his shirt and began buttoning it back up. Suddenly, his face sobered. "Um... can you not tell anyone else?"

"About what? Your amazingly muscled body?"

"Well, that too." Ed quipped with his usual humility. "About my_ arm_."

"It's not that big of a deal. Hell, I know a girl who has two prosthetic legs, and she's cool. She does karate, actually." He noticed Ed's glare, and quickly continued. "I won't tell anyone, I promise. ...It's not like I would have anyone to tell..." he grumbled, but Ed ignored him.

"Good." He flashed Roy a brilliant smile and stood up. His ribs and shoulder ached dully, but other than that he felt perfectly normal. "Thanks for your help, I need to-"

The dark-haired teenager, still seated, grabbed his sleeve, holding Ed firmly in place. "You might want to go talk to Envy, first." he commanded. The playful aura of a few minutes ago had vanished, and he gazed at Ed steadily, almost staring him down. After a few awkward moments, he gave the teenager a little push. "Go on. He doesn't bite."

Ed growled and walked out of the room, listening to Roy's chuckling behind him. The guy was a bastard, but he was probably right. The teenager sighed. _We're off to see the Envy, the wonderful Envy of Sin._ he sing-songed nervously in his head as he headed towards the back door. **(3)**

---

The Mustangs' backyard, although not that big, was as impeccably maintained as the rest of their house. A porch made of light wood extended from the back door. It was bordered by evenly-spaced railings that, although plain, made a nice decorative addition. The backyard proper consisted of an expanse of carefully raked sand, designed in swirling patterns and bisected by a path made of flat, pale stones. In the corner, next to the wall, there was a trickling fountain and a pond populated with vibrant orange and spotted koi. Small cherry trees were planted in the middle of the sand; they drew Edward's eye with their slender curves and delicate branching.

With the attention-getting effect of the garden, Ed almost failed to notice the figure slumped against the railings in the corner of the porch. Its arms were wrapped around its knees, and its head was down.

"Envy?" The teenager walked forward to kneel by the still figure. "Envy?" he asked again, softly. He received no reply. Worried, Ed placed his hand on the teenager's shoulder. It was shrugged off almost immediately. Ed sighed and settled down next to the huddled figure. "Look, Envy. I know I've been really nasty the past week, and I'm really sorry." He paused to gather his thoughts for an explanation. "It's just that I started hearing all these rumors about you guys... that you two did drugs and terrorized people, that you, Envy, killed a guy when you were ten..." Here he gave a slight laugh at his own naiveté. "I know most of those rumors were ridiculous, and I knew it when I heard them too, but I honestly wasn't sure how to act around you. I was afraid that you two might betray me, or hurt me... and I don't want that to happen. I know it was selfish, and I really feel ridiculous now." This time, when he laid his hand on Envy's shoulder, the muscles tensed but the teenager made no move to shake it off. Ed took this as a sign of encouragement.

"I wanted to make real friends, and I wasn't sure if you two actually wanted to be friends with me, or just use me. And now I realize what a total jerk I've been, and that I might have lost some of my only friends here. My _best_ friends here. And I don't want that to happen." Envy turned his head slightly, and a purple eye shone from between the strands of hair. Ed swallowed, knowing what he had to say. "I'm really, really sorry, Envy. Can... can you forgive me?"

The catlike eye studied him for a few tense, awkward minutes. Ed was forcibly reminded of a wild animal in the way Envy sat stiffly, seemingly ready to strike at any moment. He kept as still as he could, steadily meeting the other teenager's violently amethyst eyes with his own golden ones. _I don't want to have lost one of the best friends I have here, especially since I only realized he was one of my best friends just now. When I think that I might lose him just because of the way I've been acting..._ Ed tried, as hard as he could, to show all of his feelings in a single glance: regret, sadness, compassion, sorrow. Nervously, he shuffled a bit closer to Envy, putting his face close to that of the other teenager's. "Can you forgive me?" he asked again, softly.

The dark eye blinked, suddenly, and Edward was surprised to see it filled with tears. Envy shook his head slightly, brackish tendrils of hair cascading to cover his momentary weakness, and, without warning, lunged forward to wrap his arms around Ed. His face nuzzled into the other teenager's neck, as though he was seeking some type of comfort. "I forgive you." he mumbled into Ed's shoulder, holding on to him tightly. **(4)**

After a moment of shock, where he tried to regain his breath _and_ his composure, Ed hesitantly reciprocated the gesture, his arms coming to rest nervously on the sin's skinny shoulders. "Thanks." he replied, with sincere gratitude in his voice. "I missed you." He was telling the truth, as much as it surprised him. He hadn't realized how big of a part Envy had played in his life until Ed had driven him out. And now that the teenager was back, he felt... complete. _That sounds so mushy..._ he commented inwardly. _It's not like we're in _love_ or anything. But, it's true._

The two held each other silently, until Envy loosed his hold and stood up. "Some of those rumors were true, you know." he said, holding out a hand to help Ed up.

The teenager took the proffered hand and used it to pull himself up, wincing at the stiffness of his sides. "I know." He smiled back at Envy's surprised look, then led the way back into the living room.

Roy was sprawled out on the futon, lazily flipping through channels with the remote. "Worked out all your issues?" he asked as soon as they entered.

The two looked at each other, Ed smiling slightly. "Yup." Envy replied. He had cheered up considerably, and Ed found himself once again amazed at the teenager's rapid mood swings.

"Good." Abruptly, Roy switched off the television and sat up, looking alert. "There's one more thing we need to do."

Ed looked at the dark-haired teenager curiously, while Envy grinned viciously and nodded, sitting down cross-legged in front of the futon.

"_War council._"

---

"I still think you should have told us who did this to you." Roy remarked as they pulled out of his driveway. Ed was sitting next to him on the passenger seat, while Envy had opted to stay at the house, with the excuse that he had to take care of his own wounds from the fight.

"And I still say that I can fight my own battles." Ed retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Roy sighed. "Fine, whatever you say. But you're still going to meet us after school tomorrow, right?"

The teenager shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Envy and Roy had told him to meet them after school in the parking lot to, in Envy's words, 'learn how to kick some ass'. He wasn't sure what they meant, and wasn't sure whether he really wanted to find out. But once again Roy's words echoed in his thoughts: '_Have we ever given you a reason not to trust us? ...And I'll make sure we won't_.' So, gulping, he nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there."

"Good." The dark-haired teenager grinned. By now, Ed was able to recognize the streets, and soon they pulled into Winry's neighborhood. Surprisingly, the two didn't live that far apart. "Oh yeah, and Ed?" Roy continued as he pulled into the driveway.

"Uh-huh?" Ed asked, looking back at Roy as he prepared to exit the car.

"Are you going to be at school tomorrow?"

The teenager paused. It would probably be best if he didn't go to school - his visible bruises and obvious stiffness would cause questioning, along with the gash under his eye. But if he skipped, Clara would know she had won for sure. And he couldn't allow that to happen. "I'll go." he said firmly.

"Good." Roy grinned. "And, you should put this on." He was holding out a leather, metal-studded... thing.

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Well, do you want your brother and Winry and all your classmates wondering exactly where those bruises on your throat came from?" He shoved the thing into the teenager's hands.

Ed examined the thick leather band and square metal studs. He noticed the buckle on the back - it was a collar. "Where the hell did this come from?"

"Kinda kinky, isn't it." Roy observed. "It's Envy's. He lent it to me when I had some... ahem... questionable marks I needed to cover up. I forgot to ever give it back."

"Do you _really _think I need this?"

"Look in the mirror." He gestured toward the visor above his windshield.

Ed flipped it down and opened up the mirror. He craned up so he could see his throat, wincing slightly at another pain in his ribs. His neck was mottled with a string of bruises that could be clearly connected to show the print of a hand. "Okay, fine." he grumbled, buckling the leather band around his neck.

Roy grinned. "Makes you look pretty badass."

"And what am I supposed to tell my brother?"

"You'll think of something."

---

Al's worried voice greeted Ed as soon as he walked through the door. "Brother! Where have you been? It's already five 'o'clock!" The taller Elric skidded into the entryway, immediately stopping with wide eyes when he saw his brother.

"Sorry!" Ed apologized, oblivious to Alphonse's look of shock. "Some of my friends totally kidnapped me after school; they wanted to hang out and it took me _forever_ to get them to take me home."

"Brother... what are you _wearing_?"

"Eh?" For a moment, Ed had forgotten about the obnoxious band around his neck. "Oh, this? Um... yeah." _Think quick, Ed!_ "It was a dare."

"A dare?" Al's tone clearly showed his disbelief.

"Yup." the teenager replied, elaborating on his lie. "See, they thought I wouldn't be brave enough to do it. But I never back down from a dare. I'm supposed to keep it on for the rest of the school week, which is just like two days." He grinned.

"Okay..." his brother raised a brow but said nothing else. "And why didn't you call?"

_Shit! I knew I was forgetting something! Quick... I need an excuse..._ "My phone ran out of batteries, and I didn't think of borrowing someone else's. Sorry, Al." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down sheepishly. "I was kind of being stupid."

"Fine." Al sighed, reminding Ed more than ever of his mother. "Just don't do it again - Winry and I were really worried about you."

Ed nodded. "I won't." he promised, smiling. "I'm gonna go take a shower now." He turned and fled upstairs before Al could question him any more. _That was close._ he thought, as he rummaged in his dresser for a change of clothes. _Al knows when I lie to him. I have to keep telling him the truth._

He slipped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, watching as the clear stream of water splashed on the tile floor. He stripped slowly, wincing every time he raised his arms - his ribs still hurt. Finally, he threw his boxers to the side, completely undressed. The teenager examined himself in the mirror. The marks on his ribs had gotten worse since Roy had looked at them, spreading to create a whole bluish area running up and down his side. His shoulder, though less swollen, still ached dully, and the bruise there was dark, almost black. His legs, which the dark-haired teenager hadn't bothered to examine, were better off than the rest of him, although he did a welt on his thigh. His prosthetic leg worked fine, still. _If any of those seniors kicked me there, they probably broke some toes._ he thought, amused.

Once he had finished his self-examination, he stepped into the shower, flinching as the hot water pounded on his sore back. As he shampooed his golden hair, he finally let his mind roam over the events of the day.

The fight: Clara had gone too far. He would have to find a way to take her down a notch, _without_ involving Roy and Envy. By hiring those seniors to beat him up, and by telling him about her fight with Roy in the first place, she had involved him much to deeply for him to be able to sit back and let his friends take care of it. As far as Ed was concerned, it was _his_ battle, now.

The talk with Roy: He wasn't surprised, honestly, that Roy and Envy had been into drugs. It seemed like something the pair would do. But he was glad that they had quit, or at least cut back (in Envy's case). Ed wasn't sure whether he should disapprove of what they had done, but, as Roy had told him, it was in the past. And he was relieved that he was friends with Roy now.

Envy's forgiveness: Ed was honestly surprised that his 'silent treatment' had affected the teenager so much. He didn't know he meant so much to Envy... but then, his mind flew back to the moments when Roy and Envy had saved him:

_"Hello, boys." a smooth voice called from down the hall. Miraculously, the seniors stopped their merciless beating, and Ed took a shuddering breath before trying to see who his savior was. "It looks like you're having a lot of fun. May I ask what you might be doing?"_

_Ed heard two steps of footsteps stalking down the hall, and once again tried to see the people his assailants were so fascinated by. But his neck gave a slight twinge of pain, and he winced before going back to his former position, staring at the ceiling._

_"It seemed to us like you were beating up on some poor kid. So we came to join the fun..." the person continued. "After all, it's not fair when you've got them outnumbered."_

_"Envy..." The blonde senior backed up a step or two, away from the approaching figures. "Roy... Look guys, we were just..."_

_"'We were just' _what_?" Envy mocked._

_"Look, it was just a job." Now all three seniors looked nervous._

_"Just a job." Envy spat, stalking up to them. "Just. A. Job." He suddenly lunged towards the leading attacker and pinned him against the lockers - hard. "Well, then, I guess it's just my job to kick your sorry little ass into next. Fucking. Week." The brackish-haired teenager pressed up closely against the blonde thug, invading his personal space. His face was contorted with pure hatred. "No one messes with _my _Edo and gets away with it."_

_"Ah... no... Really..." the blonde made a few weak attempts to escape Envy's grip. "Look, I can explain."_

_"I don't care about your fucking explanations." Envy hissed. Abruptly, he flung the senior to the side, as though he were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. "I am going to do to you what you did to Ed. And I'm going to have one _hell _of a time."_

"No one messes with my Edo and gets away with it." Ed murmured, not realizing he was speaking aloud. He was amazed by Envy's protectiveness of him. _Even after I was so nasty to him, he still went after those seniors and fought them off me._ The blonde sighed._ I don't know why he did that - I sure as hell didn't deserve it._ And, although he felt Envy's aid was undeserved, he let himself bask a while in the feeling of being wanted.

After all, he had never really felt 'wanted' before. And it was a nice feeling.

* * *

**Footnotes:  
**The chapter title comes from one of the FMA opening songs, Inerasable Sin. I think - I'm not totally sure - that it was the first ending song.  
**(1)** All right, now it's obvious I'm a complete and total Ed fangirl. But what can I say? He's _hot_. -drools-  
**(2)** Betcha weren't expecting that. I think Roy's kind of OOC in this chapter. But maybe he's so OOC that he's in character. Or he's just on crack. -shrugs- Who knows?  
**(3)** From The Wizard of Oz. I couldn't resist.  
**(4) **When I reread this scene, I couldn't stop going "Awww..." But seriously. It's _so cute_!

* * *

**READ MY NEW FIC: **Into the Dark

And we're finished. I felt really pressured getting this chapter out, because of all my reviewers. And I don't think it's the greatest chapter, but it's okay. We've got some (implied) RusselxEd, some humorous RoyxEd (Ew.), and some fluffy EnvyxEd. Not bad for just one chapter! So, I hope this lives up to your expectations, but if it doesn't... Don't shoot me. -nervous laughter-

Wow, I just realized my author notes are getting longer and longer. Ah well. My ears feel funny; the piercings are healing and they're all itchy. I think I'm going to get a piercing fetish or something, because I'm already planning to get my lobes pierced again and then piercings in my cartilage (which will hurt like _heck_, but oh well). Please **review**, and don't forget to answer my question:

**POLL QUESTION: What does Envy smell like? **


	8. Battered Shrimp, Part I

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** I have seventy-five bucks and nine Gravitation mangas (go me), but still no Fullmetal Alchemist. -sigh-

WARNING: Are these really necessary? I mean, it's the eighth chapter already. You'd think people would have caught on. BUT there will be gay stuff. And language. And Envy on energy drinks. That itself deserves its own warning label.

**Songs: **Uh... How 'bout "Hana Ichi Yaiba" by _alice nine_.,or "Only One", by _Paku Romi_... or "Mission 24" by _Yamaguchi Mayumi_. Those are nice, peppy, upbeat, and, most importantly, Japanese!

So... I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Dark Angel of Fire Ice, because she knows a ton and she's been a big help. And, I promised I would dedicate it to her. -grin- So, here ya go! I hope you like it! Gracias, Steeple333, because you were a big help. Sorry, again. And thanks to _all _my wonderful reviewers, and to all who read this little author's note, I shall be doing something special for whoever happens to be reviewer one hundred. Check out the end note for more details.

* * *

**Chapter Eight  
**_Battered Shrimp, Part I_

"Nice collar."

Ed groaned and ignored whoever had spoken - he felt no need to look up into the face of _another _laughing classmate - and it was only homeroom. "Shut up." he grumbled. "It was a dare."

"You look _quite_ sexy in it." the unknown person continued.

The teenager blushed, but carefully kept his eyes down. "That's nice." he replied flatly.

"Ya know, it used to be mine, but I think I'll let you keep it. And make you wear it whenever I'm in the _mood_." The voice sounded familiar, and Ed had known the collar once belonged to-

"Envy?" Ed looked up slowly, relieved to find the brackish-haired teenager was the one harassing him, instead of another random junior. He chose to ignore the last comment - at least Envy's attitude towards him was _relatively_ normal, as opposed to distant and cold.

The lanky teenager plopped down into his desk, as Roy took the one on the other side of Ed. "_The_ one and only." He grinned and tugged on Ed's collar. "Now all we need is a leash."

If Ed had a drink, he would have spat it out in shock. As it was, he managed to choke on his own saliva. "Excuse me?" he asked, blushing furiously.

Envy exhaled, blowing tendrils of hair out of his face, and thunked his booted feet up onto his desk. "You heard me."

"Feet of the desk." Marcoh-sensei commanded, but Envy ignored him.

"Energy drinks." Roy commented, causing both Envy and Ed to stare at him. "He's had five." the dark-haired teenager explained. "Ignore him. You're still meeting us after school, right?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah, I told Al so he won't spazz again." He gave a slight laugh, remembering Al's tirade the day before.

"We'll have _sooo_ much fun, chibi. _Especially _with that collar." Ed turned around to see Envy, who had miraculously positioned himself in his chair so he was hanging practically upside down, his pale throat fully exposed and long hair nearly touching the floor. When he saw the teenager's golden eyes on his, he gave a lascivious wink.

"Your underwear's showing." Ed stated, his matter-of-fact words contradicted by the slight blush on his face. He turned back to Roy.

"_What?!_" Envy shrieked, twisting himself so he was sitting properly. "Liar." he muttered.

The blonde gave a slight giggle and stuck his tongue out at the teenager before turning back to Roy. "What _exactly _are we doing after school?"

"You'll see." was Roy's enigmatic reply. Ed knew he loved keeping up the suspense, and hated him for it.

"Don't worry, it'll be _great_." Envy spoke up. He was now sitting up cross-legged on top of the desk.

"You know, he's not really helping." Ed observed, and they laughed.

---

After school, Envy, who seemed considerably calmer, was waiting for him outside. As soon as he noticed Ed, he waved wildly, grinning madly. "Chiiiibiiii!" he called happily. _So much for calmer,_ thought Ed, rolling his eyes and walking towards him. "Roy's over here." Envy said, grabbing Ed's hand and pulling him through the parking lot.

Ed blushed slightly but let the taller teenager lead him. "Now will you tell me what we're doing?" he asked apprehensively as they neared the car. He could see Roy leaning on his black Nissan and chatting with a short-haired blonde - from this distance it was hard to tell whether the person was male or female. Their attire didn't help either; the person was wearing an oversized jacket and long, baggy cargo pants.

"_Shhh_." Envy replied, letting go of Ed's hand and sneaking up behind the figure. When Roy's eyes flicked up to him, he put a finger to his lips and kept sneaking. Ed watched, amused, as Envy suddenly lunged and wrapped both hands around the person's neck, letting out a cry of "YAAAAAAAAH! GOT YOU!"

Ed gasped as the mystery person whipped a hand around behind her back, sliding Envy's arms out of the way, and turned to deliver a blow to his nose. His eyes widened even more as Envy blocked the expert blow, and his jaw dropped as the figure grabbed the teenager and, sweeping their leg behind his, managed to shove him onto the ground.

Roy burst out laughing as Envy whimpered, holding a hand to his leg. "That hurt, Martel!" he whined, looking up at the figure, who turned out to be a girl, her heart-shaped face and full lips accented by a single strand of hair hanging over her face.

"Well, don't do that to me again." she replied, glaring before offering a hand to help him up.

Envy took it and stood up stiffly, grumbling. Looking to the side, he noticed Edward, who was still standing in the same place he had before, gaping. "If your mouth gets any wider, chibi, a bird's gonna make a nest in it."

Blushing, Ed snapped his mouth shut, then, partly to cover his embarassment and partly in answer to the insult about his height, yelled "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD GET PICKED UP BY A BIRD AND FLOWN AWAY?!"

"O...kay then." Envy replied, raising an eyebrow. "_Anyway_, Edo, this is Martel Nyoka; she's in the year below us. _Hebi_, this shorty is Edward Elric." **(1)**

Ed glared at the insult to his height, but kept his mouth shut. His previous outburst had given him several weird looks from people across the parking lot, and he didn't want to repeat the experience. _Hebi? Is that Envy's nickname for her? And, doesn't it mean "snake" in Japanese?_ But he refrained from asking.

"Pleased to meet you, Ed." Martel said politely. He wasn't sure, but Ed thought there was a sardonic edge to her tone that was nearly condescending. And he didn't miss the look of askance she gave his... collar. She held out a hand and he took it, noticing that it was slightly cool to the touch.

"Righty-o." Envy said, clapping his hands abruptly. "Everyone, in the car." He grinned.

Roy gave him a look. "Uh, Envy, it's _my_ car."

"Soooo?"

The dark haired teenager sighed. "Never mind." he muttered, rolling his eyes and ducking into the black vehicle. Envy followed him, vaulting into the passenger seat and bouncing up and down excitedly, while Ed followed Martel into the back.

"Now will you tell me what we're doing?" he asked curiously.

"Nope." Envy replied, smiling at him. "Okay, Roy. Drive!"

After giving the long haired teenager another look, he turned the key and pulled the car out of the parking lot, ignoring Envy's cries of "Faster, faster!"

---

"Okay, now everybody out." Envy commanded happily, holding open the back door for Ed and Martel.

Ed got out thankfully. The car ride had been more stressful than he would have hoped, what with Envy's constant obnoxious chatter, Roy's reckless (to say the least) driving, and Martel's cool stares. As he walked up the path, he laughed to think that it was just yesterday that he had been carried up this same walkway by a depressed and silent Envy, and marveled at the contrast today made. This time, he was walking into Roy's house of his own accord, and had a chance to admire the pleasing architecture and understated tones of the medium-sized house. The clearly expensive building job made Ed curious. "Hey, Roy. What exactly do your parents do for a living?"

He winced when Roy's expression grew slightly darker. "They take other people's money and cheat them for a living." he said, glowering, then speeded up to get to the door first.

Ed gave Envy a look. "They're lawyers." the brackish-haired teenager explained, snickering.

Martel rolled her eyes silently.

There was a slightly awkward silence until the three came to the door, which Roy was holding open for them. His face had lost its slightly angry cast, and now he just looked... like Roy.

"Hey, Edo, can I carry you again?" Envy asked.

Ed turned back to Envy in astonishment. "_What?_ Hell no!"

"Please?" The teenager pouted cutely.

"_No!_" Ed replied, blushing furiously and all but running through the front door.

As he left, Envy turned to Martel and shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."

---

"So _now_ can you tell me what we're going to do?" Ed asked impatiently. The four of them were sitting around Roy's coffee table - Martel was curled up with her head on Envy's chest (which made Ed feel slightly... _annoyed_) and Roy was seated crosslegged next to the kneeling Ed. They all held various drinks, and Envy was in the process of scarfing down some noodle-y dish that looked like it would have been much fresher two weeks ago.

"Um..." Martel took her head off Envy's torso to look at him and Roy. "You guys didn't tell him?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"Nope." replied Envy with a full mouth, slurping a few more noodles.

"You can tell him if you want." Roy told her, shrugging. "It's not like we can draw out the surprise much longer."

"But... why is he going with us?" she asked, her pouty lips forming into a frown.

Envy shrugged and swallowed another large mouthful of... whatever it was, causing Ed to make a face in disgust. "Hebi-chan, of _course _he's going with us! Why _ever _not?"

"Okay..." Martel replied, her hazel eyes narrowing slightly at Envy. "You can tell him then." She shrugged and went back to staring at her Coke.

The brackish-haired teenager looked at Roy for permission, then grinned widely at Ed, who had been growing more impatient by the minute. "We're taking you to karate!" he cried happily, bouncing up and down on his seat and clapping his hands together with excitement.

Ed raised an eyebrow. "We're... what?"

"Ya know, we're going to go to karate and Izumi-sensei's gonna teach you to kick some major ass, and it's gonna be _awesome_..." Envy elaborated, which didn't help Ed much at all.

"But... what's _karate_?"

All three of his companions' jaws dropped.

"What?"

"You don't know... what _karate_ is?" Roy gasped after a while.

"Uh... I don't think so. I mean, I've heard of it once or twice but I don't really know what it _is_."

"Where have you been?" Martel asked, her eyes wide.

"...Germany?" Ed didn't understand what the big deal was. All he wanted was an _explanation_.

Envy shut his mouth after a while, and smiled. "Well, then. It'll still be a surprise!" he said, delightedly.

---

"Here. Does _this_ one fit?" Roy asked, exasperated. This was the third uniform that Ed had tried on, and both parties were getting rather impatient - Roy had to grip an angry Ed by the shoulders just to hold him in place.

"Please tell me it does." Ed muttered. "This is getting ridiculous." He looked surprisingly good in the uniform; the black pants just touched the tops of his feet, and the sleeves of his top covered his arms just so the tips of his fingers were showing. Of course, it was the uniform Roy used when he was a _twelve_ year old... but Ed was willing to overlook that fact. At least for a little while.

"Ooh..." said Martel, looking at the teenager interestedly. "Black is _definitely_ your color."

"It fits perfectly!" Envy cooed, getting up to inspect Ed's uniform more closely. He lifted the arms a few times, making a perplexed face - _Maybe he noticed my right arm was heavier than my left_ - but eventually finished his inspection. "Now all you need to do is take off your gloves and your socks! ...and the collar, of course."

Ed gulped. "Whaaat?" he asked. He felt Roy's hands tighten their grip on his shoulders as he looked around, trying not to panic.

"What?" the brackish-haired teenager asked, confused. "What's the big deal?"

"Just do it." Roy murmured, his voice pitched so only Ed could hear him. "Envy's not gonna make a big deal out of it. Trust me."

The teenager bit his lip, remembering Roy's words from the day before. _"__Have we ever given you reason not to trust us?" "...And I'll make sure we won't."_ Sighing, Ed sat down, narrowly missing Roy's feet, and began removing his socks. First his right foot was exposed, then his left - in all of its shiny metal glory. Not daring to look up, he then removed his gloves - first his left one, then his right, exposing his prosthetic arm, also. "N-now what do you need me to do?" he asked tentatively, hating himself for the tremor in his voice. He looked up through golden bangs to see Envy's reaction.

The first person he noticed was Martel, who looked at his replacement limbs with her customary expression of indifference-bordering-on-disdain, then turned back to the television, where she seemed to be watching some kind of anime complete with random blonde kids screaming "DATTEBAYO!"

He looked up at Roy next. The dark-haired teenager grinned and gave him a thumbs up, then nodded to Envy.

The brackish-haired teenager had already reverted his attention back to the plasma TV, and seemed to be practically salivating as the image of a lavender skinned man with yellow slitted eyes came onscreen. "My God, he's so _hot_..." Noticing Ed staring, he quickly added, "But not as hot as you, chibi."

Ed nearly face-faulted. _Roy was right, it _wasn't_ that big of a deal for him_. he thought in amazement. _Why was I being such a wimp, anyway? What did I think - that Envy would completely reject me because I have a metal leg and arm?_

Roy was smirking when Ed looked back up at him. "Told you so." he said smugly. "Now we just need to get you a belt."

---

When Ed had the bright white belt cinched around his waist, Envy led him to a full-length mirror on the shower door in the bathroom. "Don't you look so cute?" he gushed, grinning happily.

Ed studied his reflection carefully. He had been advised by Roy to put his customary braid into a ponytail, which actually made him look slightly older. The black uniform - Martel had said it was called a _gi_ - actually fit him well, and the white belt draped nicely down to his mid-thigh. The outfit looked slightly familiar; he vaguely remembered seeing someone wearing something like it on TV once, but the word 'karate' still didn't ring any bells.

Realizing that Envy was still waiting for a response, Ed gave a noncommittal grunt. "Looks cool, I guess..." he said, shrugging.

"Good." Envy spun him around and glanced up at the clock on the counter. "Oh _shit_." He grabbed Ed's arm and rushed him out of the bathroom. "Roy!" he called to the dark-haired teenager, who was watching the weird anime show with Martel. "We're almost late! It's already past four-forty!"

"Fuck." he cursed, before helping up Martel and rushing towards the door. "Everybody in the car!"

Envy rushed towards the door, dragging Ed with him. "What's the big deal?" the blonde panted as he tripped over a rug and nearly careened into Envy.

The brackish haired teen stopped for a minute, looking puzzled. "I dunno..." he said, pondering. "Roy needs to teach the kid's class, but the rest of us don't need to be there 'til six." After a few seconds, and Roy's frantic gestures from his car, Envy shrugged off the question and began dragging Ed again. "Oh well. This is fun."

---

Fifteen minutes and fifteen near-crashes later, Edward stumbled out of the car, gasping. "I _never_ want to do that again." he said emphatically.

"Oh come on, Eddi. It wasn't _that_ bad." Martel said, giving him a joking punch on the arm. It _hurt_. "That was Roy's driving on a _good_ day, actually."

Envy bounced out of the passenger seat, looking none the worse for wear from the harrowing ride. "Come on, Edo-chibi-face." he said, grabbing Ed's arm again. "Let's introduce you to Izumi-sensei!"

Roy, who was grabbing his duffel and nearly sprinting to the entrance, waved. "See you guys later." he called before entering the building. It was a shabby-looking place - the paint was peeling, and the wood was faded where a sign (announcing 'Curtis' Butcher Shop') had been taken down. Ed gave the place a doubtful look.

"Don't worry, it's much nicer on the inside." Martel told him as they were dragged into the unassuming building by Envy.

To Ed's surprise, the girl was right. Inside, although small, the structure was spotless. Small bleachers occupied a small, lobby-like area in the front, which had two doors leading two the locker rooms - one for men and one for women. The rest of the building (which wasn't much) was taken up by dark blue mats reminiscent of those used by gymnasts. Framed portraits, certificates, and various weapons hung on the plain whitewashed walls, along with a bookshelf hosting numerous texts all relating to the mysterious 'karate'. On the west wall, students were lined up primly, all gazing at a dreadlocked woman who appeared to be lecturing them. Her admonitions were lost on Ed, however, who was beginning to have more than a sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly what karate was.

The teenager was distracted from his observations by Envy, who grabbed his arm and towed him to the bleachers. "Sit here, Edo." he commanded, patting the spot next to him. Martel took up his other side. As soon as Ed was seated, he began to speak. "That," he said, gesturing to the closed-in, matted area, "is the dojo. It's where we practice karate."

Before he could continue, Ed cut him off. "But what's _karate_?" he asked, frustrated.

"_Karate_, or _karate-do_, is a form of unarmed fighting. The student learns to develop their skills with hand to hand combat, along with learning kicks, punches, and forms that combine what they have learned into set fighting patterns. A true martial artist masters these techniques, and, through their mastery, gains a new perspective on the world, along with several virtues including patience, humility, and perserverance." Martel explained, leaning across Envy to make eye contact with Ed. He was slightly disturbed to note that her phrasing made her sound much like an encyclopedia. "Izumi-sensei, our teacher, formally broke with the JKA (Japanese Karate Association) around 1994. She wanted to create her own style of fighting that concentrated less on _fighting_ and _competition_, and more on _development_ and _growth of the mind and body_. Thus, _Shizuka na Ame _karate was born." **(2)**

Ed duly noted that, translated "shizuka na ame" meant "gentle rain", and continued listening to Martel's narrative. He was beginning to finally understand what _karate_ meant, and realized it was not as unfamiliar as he thought.

"Shizuka na ame karate focuses mostly on punching and kicking techniques, as opposed to, say, grappling. There are two types of forms one learns - hardline and softstyle. Hardline forms are performed as though one was actually in combat, and you are expected to add power behind every kick and strike. Softstyle forms are performed to develop muscles slowly and have a therapeutic and calming effect on the practitioner, much like tai chi. Learned together, hardline and softstyle skills can form one into a well-rounded martial artist." Martel paused slightly to gather her thoughts before continuing. "Hardline forms proceed in order from one upwards. They are learnt in order, and you must be tested on each form before you can proceed to the next one. Izumi-sensei is much more lenient with softstyle forms, which are named after and embody certain animals or elements. However, they have a certain order also. They proceed as Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Crane, Dragon, and Eagle, then Earth, Forest, Fire, Air, Water, and Void."

The teenager nodded to show he understood, and Martel continued.

"Karate students are ranked in their knowledge with belts. You have a white belt, which symbolizes not only innocence and purity, but ignorance, also. After white, the belts proceed in this order: Yellow, Purple, Blue, Green, Brown, Red, and Black. To gain in rank, you must test for your next belt, or the next level of your belt. For example, brown belts must gain two black stripes before they proceed to red, and red belts must gain three black stripes before they proceed to black. When, or if you reach black belt, you may keep gaining knowledge and progressing in rank, attaining your first-degree black, second-degree black, and so on. I, myself, am a first-degree black belt, but I'm of lower rank than both Envy and Roy, who are second degree black belts."

Ed's jaw dropped. Although he was new to the dynamics of karate, he had learned enough from Martel to realize what an accomplishment that was. _And I never would have expected it from Envy..._ His musings were interrupted by Envy, who poked his arm. "That's the kids' class." he explained, pointing to the line of children who were now performing the same movements over and over again, until they reached the other side of the practice area. "Look at Roy."

To Ed's surprise, the dark-haired teenager was standing nonchalantly in the middle of the training area, looking more imposing than usual with a black gi and worn black belt. "Why's he out there?"

"He's teaching." Envy explained, giving Roy a rude gesture when he turned to wave. "Lots of the higher-ranked black belts from the adult class like to help Izumi-sensei with the kids."

_Isn't Envy a higher-ranked black belt, too?_ Ed wondered. "Why aren't you out there teaching?" he asked, meeting Envy's violently amethyst eyes.

Martel snickered, and Envy made a face. "Kids are so _gross_." he complained, by way of an explanation. "They have grubby little hands and they don't wash them and they're all dirty and smelly and _stupid_."

"Actually, he's not teaching because one time he almost scared this kid to death-" The girl's voice was suddenly muffled by Envy clamping a hand over her mouth. Suddenly...

"EW! You _licked_ me!" The brackish-haired teen wiped his hands on his pants with a look of exaggerated disgust, and Ed couldn't help the giggle that escaped from his mouth.

"Anyway," continued Martel, ignoring her companion, "Izumi-sensei banned him from teaching ever again."

Ed snickered while Envy vainly tried to defend himself. "Kids are disgusting anyway, and they never listen." he replied, making a face.

The blonde girl gave him a look. "You know, if Izumi-sensei heard you saying that, she'd kick your ass."

"Why?" Ed asked, curious.

"Well," Martel began, taking a deep breath. The teenager decided it was quite creepy that she could come up with answers on demand - maybe she was some type of crazy genius that had skipped three grades or something. _Or maybe not._ "During her last competition as part of the JKA, Izumi was pregnant with her first chid. Her teachers and friends advised her against competing, but she wanted to anyway. Back in those days, she was one of the most famous martial artists in Japan, and on the fast track to the Olympics. She loved sparring more than anything, and nothing could make her back down from a fight. Not even the well-being of herself and her baby."

Ed widened his eyes and looked to Envy for comfirmation. The brackish-haired teenager nodded grimly. "Izumi-sensei was kinda crazy."

"Anyway," the blonde continued, glaring at Envy for the interruption, "She took several hits to the stomach during that fight. Izumi herself sustained a permanent internal injury that made her unable to have a child ever again, and the baby itself was... a miscarriage. Izumi-sensei was devastated. She had been longing for a child ever since she was young, and she had ruined her chances for a family by being too reckless and fighting. So now she does everything she can to help children, to try and make it up to her unborn baby. Half of these kids don't even pay for lessons - they're the poorer ones that don't have enough money. She takes them in regardless, just to help them and teach them to be better people."

"The end." Envy finished for her.

"...Wow." was all Ed could say as he gazed at the dreadlocked woman with newfound respect. "That's... amazing."

"Yup." Envy replied, also watching Izumi-sensei. Then, suddenly, he turned and, grinning, flicked Ed's nose. "Of course, she's a grade-A certifiable _psychopath_, so just be ready to dodge when you meet her."

"Wait... _what_?"

* * *

**Footnotes:  
****(1)** 'Nyoka' means snake in Swahili.  
**(2)** The 'Shizuka na Ame' karate style is completely made up. I mixed together elements of Tae Kwan Do (a Korean martial art) and my style of karate, Kojosho, along with philosophies from various books and movies, both fiction and nonfiction. But karate's true intention _is_ the growth and development of the martial artist both physically and mentally. Karate styles that are closest to their roots will not be solely focused on competition.

* * *

Okay, sorry about the late update. I have no excuse (except for possibly getting addicted to _Inuyasha_). And it wasn't even that great of a chapter. But updates WILL be sooner in the future. But, anyway... **For the 100th reviewer of this story, I shall write a gift-fic for them with the pairing of their choice and the fandom of their choice (providing I know a wee bit about that pairing/fandom). So, anonymous reviewers, if it looks like you will be the 100th, leave an email address so I can get back to you on that. Or, if the 100th review is anonymous and has no email addres, I shall be using the 101th review.**

**So, with that said, REVIEW!!!!**


	9. Battered Shrimp, Part II

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA, but I have a baby sparrow that won't stop cheeping even though it's twelve thirty at night (his name is Alphonse). I probably should feed him. Kind of as a midnight snack, I guess.

WARNING: I like toffees... and caramels... and Heath bars. Actually, I'm quite addicted to Heath bars. I'm excited for school to start, because you can get them in the cafeteria.

**Songs:** 'Vanilla', by _Gackt_; 'Asterisk', by _Orange Range_ (it's a Bleach theme song), and 'I Wanna Rocks', from Naruto.

So I finally got off my ass and started working on this chapter, mostly thanks to Potions for Foxes. Apparently, I work better under death threats. Haha. Anyway, I'm really sorry for not updating in so long. If I do this again, just spam my inbox with PMs and emails. Seriously. They don't annoy me, they make me write. Especially if you threaten me.  
Oops, I shouldn't have said that. Anyway, congratulations to My.Last.Resort for being my 100th reviewer. She hasn't quite decided on the one-shot pairing/theme yet, it's a choice between InuyashaxKikyo or AshxLatias. I think. All of you have probably skipped this, so I'll shut up now. Haha.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**  
_Battered Shrimp, Part Two_

"Ooh, it looks like class is over." Envy said interestedly as he craned his neck to observe the line of children filing out. "Here comes Izumi-sensei!"

Ed gulped nervously. _What did Envy mean by 'make sure to dodge'?_ he wondered nervously, watching the tall, hawk-nosed woman approach liesurely.

"Heya, Izumi!" Envy called, grinning and waving. Martel rolled her eyes as Edward shrank against her, intimidated by the teacher's fierce glare. "We've brought you a new student!" the brackish-haired teenager continued, gesturing to Ed. "He's really cute, isn't he?"

Izumi paused when she reached the group, looking the blonde teenager up and down. After a long pause, she spoke. "...He's short."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE ONLY FITS IN A TWELVE YEAR OLD'S-" Ed's shouting was abruptly silenced by a fist connecting with his head. Hard. He felt his body lift off from the seat and connect forcibly with the floor. "Ow." His vision swam with multicolored sparkles and he could feel the cool tile through his shirt.

As his sight slowly came back, he heard Martel's voice faintly in the background. "Wow, Izumi-sensei. Looks like that hurt."

"See, Ed?" Envy was saying. "That's what I meant about dodging. Are you bleeding? I kinda heard a crack when you landed." The teenager's voice sounded really close, almost as if Envy was right above him... "YAAAAH!"

"...What?" Envy asked, looking nonplussed. "What did I do?"

"Y-Y-You-" Ed panted, his face flushed as he scooted as far away from the teenager as possible. When his voice failed, he weakly held his hands a few inches apart to demonstrate how close their faces had been.

"Envy, people aren't always as touchy as you." Izumi spoke, walking up to Ed and causing him to scoot even further back. "Some like their personal space." As Envy 'harumphed' and pouted, she held out a hand to the cowering teenager. "I'm Izumi Curtis." she said politely, helping him up. "Martel tells me you want to start karate. I see you have your uniform already."

"Not anymore." Ed muttered under his breath.

"_What _did you say?" the dreadlocked woman asked, a dangerous undertone in her voice.

"Aha..." the blonde laughed nervously. "I'd love to join."

Izumi clapped her hands together. "Great! While Envy and Martel are changing, Roy and I can introduce you to the basics."

Ed gave his departing companions a feeble look. 'Save me, please!' he mouthed to Envy, who just grinned and waved. _Tch. Some friends they are._ he thought mutinously as he followed the woman into the practice room.

"This is the dojo." she was explaining. "When you enter, you bow." She bent down from the waist, and Ed followed her example. "We line up in order of rank, from the black belts downward. The most experienced student is the end of the line over there," she pointed to the far end of the dojo, "and the most inexperienced student is at the end on this side. That would be you."

The teenager gave a nervous laugh and nodded.

"Roy!" Izumi called, beckoning the black belt over from where he had been chatting with a slight, dark-skinned girl.

"Yes, sensei?" he asked sycophantically, shooting Ed a slight grin.

She brushed off his salutation with a snort, and gestured to the blonde. "I want you to start teaching him the basics now, before class begins. Then you both can line up to bow and all that, and when we actually get under way, you'll go back to teaching him."

Roy nodded. "Yes ma'am." he replied to her back as she walked away. "Okay, Ed. We'll start with-"

"Does she always act like that?" Ed interrupted, staring after Izumi with a slightly shell-shocked look on her face.

"Nope." the black belt replied innocently. Then he smirked. "She's usually worse. She must be going easy on you since you're new."

The teenager slumped. "Whoopee." he groaned, rubbing the back of his head. There was a gigantic lump forming - at least it wasn't bruising. He probably had a concussion or something.

"Just try and stay on her good side." Roy said wisely.

"Gee, thanks. I never would have figured that out for myself." Ed replied sarcastically.

"Hey, hey, now; I'm just trying to help. Anyway, we had better get working before she catches us talking."

Ed snapped to attention. "Right." he replied. "What now?"

Roy had to laugh. "Okay, first we're going to learn the most basic stance. This," he stepped from his casual pose into a classic karate position, "is a front stance. Make sure to keep most of your weight on your front leg and lock your back knee. You shouldn't be able to see your toes over your front knee, and your feet should be a shoulder length apart." He looked at Ed, who had copied him. "Nice job, for your first try. Straighten your back foot a little... there you go. Perfect." He grinned at Ed, who was concentrating on perfecting his stance. "Now I'll show you how to move in this stance. Bring your back leg in to touch your front leg - no, keep your knees bent so your head stays at the same height - and then bring it forward, so it's in front of the other leg. Straighten out your knee - good - and stay low. Okay. Now you try it by yourself." He straightened his legs so he was standing above Edward, watching him.

The teenager concentrated, slowly bringing his back leg to touch his front leg, keeping his head level, and then moving forward, locking his back knee.

"Great!" Roy smiled. "Now do it again."

Ed complied. Again. And again. His thigh muscles were starting to ache dully from the unaccustomed weight they were supporting.

"Your quads should start getting sore by now." the black belt said, watching him work without lifting a finger.

"Bastard." the teenager grunted.

"I try." Roy quipped with mocking modesty. But before Ed could retort, Izumi clapped loudly.

"Line up for class, students!" she called.

The black belt gave the blonde a mocking salute, then hurried to the front of the line. Ed quickly followed his example, jogging to the end of the line. He was next to a hulking, bearded yellow belt who was nearly bursting out of his white gi. The sheer _hugeness_ of the man made him nervous, and, as Izumi called them to order and bowed, he slowly edged away. It was with relief that he greeted Roy. "Who _is_ that guy?" he asked quietly as they walked to the side.

"Oh, him?" the black belt chuckled. "That's Loa. Don't worry about him; he's all bark and no bite. Anyway, let's get back to work. Front stance!"

---

At the end of class, Ed's legs felt tired and shaky. Roy had kept him doing a front stance the whole time, the only variations in the back-and-forth routine being different types of blocks. He hadn't even learned how to punch yet. So it was a tired, disgruntled teenager that exited the dojo.

"My baby!" Envy cried, running up to Ed as he headed towards the changing room. "You look so _cute_!" He grabbed the teenager by the shoulders and spun him around to show to the entire class, who had filled up the lobby area. "Look, you're all sweaty! Awww! Roy, you worked him too hard!"

Edward blushed and growled, shaking Envy off. "Shut up!" he hissed. Everyone's staring!"

"Aww, let them stare." the brackish-haired teenager replied, blowing Ed a kiss. "They're just jealous." But he backed away all the same. "C'mon, let's go get changed."

"But I didn't bring-"

"Don't worry!" Envy replied before he could finish. "I brought clothes for you!" He began steering Edward towards the whitewashed door.

To Ed's chagrin, the locker room was small and cramped. It barely had enough room for four people, let alone the seven that were jammed in there already. He hesitated at the door, unnerved slightly by the nonchalant attitude of the other men inside - for God's sake, they were pressed closer together than the standards of society allowed, and most of them were practically naked, save boxers.

"Hurry up, Edo!" Envy called impatiently from behind him. "I think there's a space in the back." He gave the blonde's back a little push.

The teenager gritted his teeth and stepped into the steamy room, shoving indiscriminately to reach a small, unoccupied corner. Envy followed in his wake, shoving another dark-haired teenager aside for the spot next to Ed.

"This is rather cramped, isn't it?" he asked offhand.

"Understatement of the century." Ed muttered. The backs of his knees were pressed uncomfortably against a cold metal bench attached to the wall, and Envy's chest was pressing against his shoulder.

"Can you grab me my clothes?" the brackish haired teenager asked, leaning over Ed so that his face was almost pressed into the shorter boy's hair. "They're by your hand."

Edward groped around behind him (there was no room to turn around) until he felt a soft bundle. He pulled out a wad of black fabric and shoved it into Envy's face.

"Thanks, chibi-pie! Your clothes should be somewhere in there too." Envy had already begun undressing, tossing his black top carelessly onto the floor.

Blushing, Ed felt around in the pile once more, before finding a pair of black leather pants and a shirt advertising something called 'Gackt'. "_This_?" he asked incredulously, eyeing the psychedelic white, black, and red swirls on the top.

"Yup!" Envy replied, nodding. He had stripped down to just his purple boxers, and Ed averted his eyes hastily.

"Whatever." he muttered, blushing crimson. Quickly, and showing as little skin as possible, he pulled on the leather pants and the tight T-shirt, feeling Envy's eyes watching him the whole time. Did the teenager have _any_ modesty?

---

When they exited the locker room, Martel was waiting with the same dark-skinned girl Ed had noticed Roy talking with earlier. She introduced them immediately. "Bunny, this is Ed. Eddi, this is - _what the hell are you wearing_?"

Edward blushed again, squirming slightly. The tight pants made him uncomfortable - he didn't normally go around showing off his lower body, and Envy seemed determined to make him do just that. He muttered something incomprehensible.

"Whatever." the girl replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Ed, this is Paninya. She's a brown belt here."

Paninya smiled brightly at Ed. "Just call me Bunny." she said, holding out a hand for him to shake. Envy watched them impatiently.

"Are you quite finished?" he asked finally, stepping between Edward and Bunny, who had just begun a detailed conversation about prosthetics - both of Paninya's legs had been lost in a car crash. "I'm hungry, let's get going."

"What's your _problem_?" Ed hissed at him as they collected Roy (he had been arguing with a shorter brunet who introduced himself as Dorchet) and Martel (who said a hasty goodbye to Bunny before she was dragged away).

Envy pouted. "I'm hungry." he replied, bouncing up and down impatiently as Roy unlocked his car.

"Betcha he was jealous." Martel muttered as they climbed into the back seat. "He doesn't want anyone looking at his precious Edo in the cute outfit he picked out."

"Tch." Ed scoffed. "Yeah, right." But, even though it was nearly dark outside, he wasn't able to hide his blush. Quickly, the teenager changed the subject. "What is '_Gackt_', anyway?" he asked curiously, plucking at his shirt. "I don't like wearing brand names unless I know what they're for." _Knowing Envy, 'Gackt' is probably some kind of Japanese condom brand_. he thought inwardly.

At this, there was a collective gasp from his companions.

"You don't know who Gackt is?" Roy asked, turning around to stare at him and causing the car to swerve wildly into the other lane.

"Eyes on the road, Roy!" Envy shouted, smacking him. "But... are you serious?"

"Um... yes?" Edward replied, mystified by their reaction. Was this something everyone was supposed to know? Like what karate was?

Martel looked horrified. "Have you been living under a _rock_ your whole life? Hell, even kids in _America_ know who Gackt is!"

"Poor child!" Roy cried. He began shuffling around the CDs that were piled haphazardly around his seat, making the car swerve violently yet again. ("Eyes on the road, Roy!") Finally, he procured a silver CD in a pink jewel case. "Here, Envy. Track seven."

The brackish haired teenager saluted as he loaded the disc into the car's stereo. An upbeat song began playing - the introduction consisted of guitar, cymbals, and... was that a trumpet? Before long, a melodic voice filled the car.

_Kimiwa seijitsuna moralist kireina yubide bokuwo nazoru  
Bokuwa junsuina terrorist kimino omougamamani kakumeiga okiru_

Koini shibarareta specialist nagai tsumewo taterareta boku  
Aiwo tashikametai egoist kimino okumade tadoritsukitai

Kimino kaoga to-zakaru  
ah bokuga boku de nakunaru maeni 

"So... Gackt is a singer?" Ed shouted over the music - Roy had turned the stereo up all the way. Martel said something in reply, but Edward couldn't hear - the music was too loud. The song was actually pretty cool - he had only a faint idea of what the lyrics meant, but the melody was upbeat and he really liked the guy's voice. _I'm glad it wasn't something nasty_. he thought, laughing slightly.

_Aishitemo iikai? Yureru yoruni  
Arugamama de iiyo motto fukaku  
Kuruoshii kuraini nareta kuchibiruga tokeau hodoni  
Boku wa... kimino... vanilla_

Before the song ended, they had pulled up in front of a small building. The lit sign in front read 'Twin Gates', a reference, Ed assumed, to the two ornate, red doors. "What is this?" he asked.

"Only the best restaurant in Central." Martel replied nonchalantly, sauntering past him.

"They have all kinds of food here! Like chicken katsu, and yakisoba, and sushi, and tempura; stuff like that!" Envy explained, grabbing his arm and towing him across the parking lot and in through one of the doors.

Inside, the restaurant was warmly lit. It was only half full, but the patrons were chattering happily. Delicious aromas drifted from the kitchen, where Ed glimpsed chefs busily working at a stove. At the front counter, a smiling waitress greeted them. "Good evening. I can take you to your table now."

"Thank you, Renge-chan." Roy replied smoothly, reading from her nametag.

"He's a sucker for girls with long hair." Envy whispered in Ed's ear as they walked towards a table. "When we first met, he hit on me because he thought I was a girl."

Edward snickered. "That must have been embarassing." he replied.

When they reached the booth, Envy immediately squished himself in on one side. "Edo, sit here!" he called, motioning at the space next to him. Roy and Martel took the other side.

"Your server will be here in a moment." Renge said, smiling flirtatiously at Roy before flouncing off.

"You're an idiot." Martel told the dark-haired teenager flatly.

Roy turned to face her. "You wound me." he said dramatically, placing a hand on his heart. "Your words have cut me to the quick. I doubt I shall ever recover."

Ed giggled as Martel glared. "You're ridiculous."

The teenager opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the arrival of a waiter. "Good morning, boys and girls!" Maes Hughes said, smiling happily. "I see you have a new friend with you!"

Edward's jaw dropped. "_Hughes_?" he asked, incredulously.

"The one and only." the man replied as he set out menus.

"But... I thought you were the janitor at our school!" Ed was seriously confused. Was the man _everywhere_?

"Yeah, but this is my night job."

Envy sniggered at Ed's dumbstruck look. "Hughes, you know we don't need the menus. We'll just have the usual."

The waiter rolled his eyes. "You guys are boring." he replied, but began picking up the menus once again. "And what will you have, Edward?"

"Erm..." The teenager looked to Envy for assistance.

"Hm. He'll have an order of yakisoba and some tempura on the side. That okay, Edo?"

Ed shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

---

Fifteen minutes later, Maes strode out of the kitchen, laden with steaming plates. He laid a noodle dish - yakisoba, apparently - in front of Ed, a plateful of steaming, breaded chicken in front of Martel, slices of beef with greens and rice in front of Roy, and a platter of sushi in front of Envy. Finally, a bowlful of steaming, battered vegetables and shrimp was placed in the middle of the table.

"I figured you'd all want some." said Hughes with a wink, before moving on to the next table.

"Hughes is cool." Roy said through a mouthful of sukiyaki. He swallowed before continuing. "He always gives us a discount, since we come here every Friday."

Ed looked doubtfully at the tempura, picking up what looked like a batter-coated asparagus. "Are these good?" he asked, examining the mystery vegetable.

"Yup!" Envy replied, picking up a shrimp. "You dip 'em in the sauce," he dunked the shrimp headfirst into the dark liquid, "then eat 'em!"

"Oh no!" Roy cried, as the long haired teenager bit down on the tempura.

"What?" Ed asked, startled.

"He's eating one of your relatives!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD BE SWALLOWED WHOLE?!" Ed shouted.

"Oooh, naughty, naughty, chibi. You really shouldn't give me ideas like that." Envy purred, finishing the shrimp and flicking Ed's cowlick.

Ed blushed as Martel grinned. "You pervert, Envy."

As the four of them laughed and joked together, Edward felt more comfortable than he had for his whole stay in Japan. He felt like he belonged.

* * *

Wooh, sappy ending. Envy's been acting a lot like Tamaki, from _Ouran High School Host Club_. Next thing I know, he's going to start calling himself Ed's 'otousan', and Roy's going to be 'okaasan'. -giggle- Maybe I'll have him do that, next chapter. **  
Have you read the seventh Harry Potter book yet? What did you think? I'm curious.** Anyway, REVIEW! 


	10. of Homesickness and Tea

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** I don't know why I bother putting this in. I guess it's just because it keeps all the chapters with the same format. I like format.

WARNING: Yay, school started! I'm so screwed for the chemistry test tomorrow... Normally I don't freak out about tests but my parents have been bugging me since before this weekend started. Ugh. I have to memorize all the prefixes for the metric system, from atto to tera. -makes face-

Songs: 'One Day I'll Fly Away', from Moulin Rouge; 'Hey There Delilah' by _Plain White Tees_; and 'Homeward Bound', by _Simon and Garfunkel_

How are all of you doing now that school's pretty much started (in the States, anyway)? Over here, it's chile roasting time! At every grocery store and farmers markets, people line up to get their fresh chile, roasted while they wait! My dad got our chile on Saturday, and he finally finished peeling and cutting it. Now most of the chile is in bags in our freezer, but we used a some yesterday for green chile stew. It's really good. Anyway, now our whole freezer smells like green chile. But the chile harvest means fall is almost here! (I just said 'chile' seven times in there.)

This chapter is for Godell, not for any reason in particular, but because I love her stories. -smiles-

* * *

**Chapter Ten**  
_of Homesickness and Tea_

The ice coated tree branches, bushes, windowpanes, mailboxes - everything in sight - creating a peaceful, frozen tableau. Sparkling ethereally in the morning sun, its fractures glimmered with rainbow lights. The only sound came from the bustle of cars from the main street, with the slush of black tires stirring up the dirty snow on the side of the road. A fragile chill imbued the morning air and seeped into the house, causing Edward Elric to curl up further into the blanket. The navy blue comforter enveloped him completely, with only the top of his head sticking out. His blonde bangs spilled across his pillow as he scrunched up his eyes against the morning sunlight and yawned.

He had had the _weirdest_ dream. It had featured Envy, an electric keyboard, and chicken noodle soup. Slowly, wincing as his thighs protested (they were still sore from Roy's karate workout), Edward swung his legs out of bed and sat up with his feet on the floor. He shook his head. _Hopefully,_ he thought, _when I get back to Germany my dreams will be normal again_.

That idea made him pause. Did he really _want_ to go back? In Germany, the only people he really knew were his dad, Al, and (sometimes) Russell. And he couldn't rely on any of those except Al. Here, in Japan, he had made great friends even in the first few weeks. He could count on Pinako and Winry to take care of Al, and - here he gave a slight smile - Envy and Roy to take care of him. He already trusted Gracia-sensei, Falman-sensei, and Maes Hughes more than he had ever trusted any teachers before, and he knew Izumi-sensei had a soft spot under all her posturing.

Sighing, Edward flopped back down onto his pillows. It was nice to be able to start fresh, without having to drag gossip and rumors with him. His peers at Central High didn't point and whisper about Ed being 'that one with the metal arm and leg' or 'the one that survived that huge fire'. The underclassmen didn't shy away from him in the halls because of his 'violent' reputation and the seniors didn't try to pick fights. Russell didn't smirk at him whenever they passed because of that 'incident'. (_It was an accident_! Ed thought vehemently. _It was dark out! I thought he was a girl!_) But then again, Russell wasn't there to help fight off the seniors or stand up for him to the teachers.

In Japan, Ed had Roy and Envy for that.

Grinning at that thought, Edward sat up again and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. He still had two more months before he would have to pack up and leave for Germany, he reminded himself as he stood up and headed to the bathrooms.

Two months was a long time.

---

"Where _were_ you?" Winry demanded through a mouthful of food. "Sleep in much?"

Ed looked at her through a curtain of dripping hair. "I was showering." he deadpanned.

"Here you go, niisan." Al, smiling, offered him a steaming bowl of rice. "Pinako-san is busy today, and she said we would have to make our own food."

As he accepted the small bowl, he raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Did you cook this, or did Winry?" he asked jokingly.

"Hey!" the blonde protested from her seat at the table. "I can cook just _fine_!"

Alphonse laughed. "I cooked it, niisan. Winry was still sleeping."

"Good." Edward replied, sitting down at the table. "I'm glad I don't have to worry about food poisoning, now."

"_Heeey!_"

Grinning, Ed contemplated the rice he held clumsily in his chopsticks. (_O'hashi_, he mentally reminded himself.) The white grains gleamed stickily under the kitchen lamp. They looked almost like bugs. Edward's grin faded to be replaced by a slightly wistful look. Rice was nice and warm, and filling enough, but he would give nearly anything for a hearty bowl of stew.

Ed's inspection of his breakfast was interrupted by the harsh ring of the phone.

"I'll get it!" Pinako yelled from the garage. Moments later, she hurried out, cradling the receiver and covering the mouthpiece with her hand. "Gracia-san called and said she was heading into Central today to do some errands." she said. "She wanted to know if I needed anything. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you three taging along. You could give Ed and Al a tour, Winry."

Winry looked around excitedly at the brothers, then turned, bouncing happily in her seat. "That would be awesome!" she cried happily. "Is that okay with Gracia-sensei?"

"Let me ask." Pinako replied, putting the telephone back up to her ear. "Gracia-san? Yes. Would you mind taking Winry and the boys with you down to Central? No, they'll be fine. Uh-huh. Thank you so much!" After hanging up, she turned to the trio, who were watching her excitedly. "She said she'd love to take you brats. Get ready - she'll be here in less than ten minutes."

"All right, guys!" Winry shouted, scrambling to her feet. "Hurry up! Grab something warm, it's cold outside! Come on, let's go, this'll be so much fun!"

---

Gracia-sensei's car, a silvery Mitsubushi, was nice both on the sparkling clean outside and the pale leather inside. It reflected the principal's personality, Ed mused as he reverently opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat. He was afraid of messing anything up - the car was to perfect to be real.

Once everyone was sitting and safely buckled up, Gracia started the car and backed out of the driveway. "I'm an awful driver." she confessed to them as she turned onto the main street. "This is my third car in four years."

Ed blanced. _That was comforting_, he thought, grabbing tightly onto his armrest as the principal swerved wildly while making a turn.

"Whoops." she said sheepishly, taking a hand of the steering wheel to rub the back of her neck and causing the car to make an even wilder change in direction.

"Um..." Winry said nervously from the backseat. "Maybe you should keep both hands on the steering-wheel, Gracia-sensei."

She gave a nervous laugh. "I guess so." After a few minutes of concentrated silence, Gracia spoke once more. "So, Edward, Alphonse. How are you liking it here in Japan?"

"It's really great, sensei!" Al chirped from the backseat. He was unfazed by the principal's random swerves and overcorrections. _I guess it pays to have a slightly insane older brother_, Ed observed, not realizing he had just insulted himself.

"And you, Edward?" Gracia asked, smiling at him.

Ed managed to unclench his teeth enough to manage an affirmative reply.

"I like Japan a lot better than I like Germany." Alphonse continued, making up for Ed's monosyllabic reply. "I've made a bunch of friends, and Ed has two good friends. That's more than he's ever been able to make before! Usually, he just ends up scaring them off, or punching them, or something..."

"Shut _up_, Al." Edward muttered, bright red. He could feel Gracia's sympathetic eyes on him and he _hated_ it. He absolutely detested other people's pity.

Oblivious to his brother's inner fury and embarassment, Al chattered on. "It was really hard back there. Our dad's a really famous chemist and he has to be gone a lot, because of work. And when he's home, it's not much better, since he doesn't really know how to take care of us and Ed still blames him for the fire."

Edward could feel the pity level rising by the minute, and it almost choked him. Trying to get rid of his blush, and reminding himself to have a long _talk_ with Al about what was and what was _not_ acceptable to reveal to others, he hastily changed the subject. "How about you, Gracia-sensei? How did you get to be the principal when you're so young?"

Gracia smiled, and Ed was grateful that she allowed him to salvage what little pride he had left. "Well, I went to college at Harvard University in the USA. I graduated rather young, and I came back to Japan and applied for a teaching post right away. Since the former principal, Golio Comanche, had just retired, they picked me up right away." Here she paused, and sighed. "Some of the teachers do resent me for getting the post so young, and with so little experience. It was the Harvard credentials that did it." Gracia gave a silvery laugh. "Falman-san helps me out a lot though, and most of the faculty are very supportive. I don't suppose you would understand, but it can be very hard, running a school."

Winry replied sympathetically, and soon the two females in the car began commiserating about life, love, and (especially) men, leaving Ed and Al feeling rather left out. _But hey_, Ed thought. _At least it's better than having Al spill our whole _life story_ to the principal._

After seemingly _forever_ - How long could two women compare _hair tips_? - Gracia pulled up in front of a traditional Japanese building called the 'Suzaku Teahouse'. "I'll meet you guys back here around... three o'clock." she said, checking her watch. "That means you have around five and a half hours to do whatever you want."

"Thank you, Gracia-sensei!" Winry said, smiling. The Elric brothers also muttered 'thanks'.

As she was about to pull away, Gracia suddenly stopped (blocking the flow of traffic completely), and rolled down the window. "Oh, and Winry?"

"Yes?"

"If you want to take them on a tour, I suggest starting here. They have beautiful traditional gardens in the back."

"I will!" Winry cried. "Thanks, sensei!" After Gracia's silver car had disappeared into traffic, she turned and smiled exuberantly at the boys. "Isn't she _so sweet_?" Winry gushed. "I just love her. She's the _best_ principal ever." Without waiting for them to reply, she marched up the entryway and slid open the rice-paper door, Al following at her heels.

Ed took his time in walking up to the doorway. Gracia was very nice, and he _did_ trust her, but he really didn't feel comfortable with Al just spilling their whole back-story. _I mean, if he told Gracia that much, what has he told his sophomore friends? How many rumors are circling around about me, or my fights, or our dad_? Shaking his head, he dismissed his worries. He trusted Al to have at least _some_ discretion.

---

On the inside, the teahouse was tastefully decorated with a series of monochromatic Japanese prints accented with touches of pink and green. The tables were low and cushions were provided for kneeling. Thin rice paper walls separated the kitchen from the rest of the building, and the counter boasted several bonsai - miniature trees - shaped into twisted versions of their leafy counterparts.

A smiling man was waiting in the front to greet him. He had messy brown hair and shockingly purple eyes (they were even a more dramatic color than Envy's), and was dressed in a navy blue kimono. As they walked in, he bowed. "Welcome to the Suzaku Teahouse." he said formally. "My name is Asato Tsuzuki. Are you here for a traditional tea ceremony, or would you prefer to have your own table?"

Winry blushed and stammered, taken aback by his politeness. "Um... Well... We were hoping to have a tour of your gardens. A friend told me that they were very beautiful."

"Oh, of course!" Tsuzuki replied, smiling. Winry's reply seemed to have broken the ice, Ed thought, watching the man straighten up and bound over to the counter. There he conversed with a solemn looking boy who was manning the cash register (which seemed rather anachronistic among the antique teacups and sake bowls. Finally, he disappeared behind the rice paper divider.

"He's a very interesting person." Al mused, also looking around.

Edward was about to reply when Tsuzuki reappeared, leading a ponytailed Ling, clad in a pale orange and cream kimono. As soon as the cheery junior saw Ed, he grinned and waved. "Tsuzuki-san said some teenagers were here, but I never expected you, Ed! I'm supposed to give you guys a tour of the gardens."

Ling led them through a maze of tables and rice-paper partitions until they came to an artfully hidden sliding door. "This is awesome, guys." he said, as he slowly and dramatically opened it.

The door, Ed thought, opened onto a paradise. A softly gurgling stream flowed into a pond near the entryway, filled with brightly colored koi. A solid, wooden bridge crossed the water and led to a path made of dark gravel that contrasted sharply with the pale sand on either side. A willow tree was artfully positioned to one side of the pond, and its drooping branches trailed in the clear blue-green shallows. Upon closer inspection, the sand appeared to be raked in straight lines that were occasionally interrupted by swirls, spirals, or carefully placed rocks. Smaller, graceful maple trees dotted the winding walkway, and their bare branches only enhanced the calming aspect of the outdoor haven.

"Hey, Ed." Ling called, waving a hand in front of Edward's face. "What're you waiting for?"

Blinking, Ed realized that Winry and Al were already standing on the bridge, admiring the multicolored fish. He had been so lost in the beauty of the garden that he had forgotten their purpose. "Heh, sorry Ling." he replied, walking alongside the Chinese boy.

"By the way," Ling said in an undertone. "Who are those two?"

Ed gave him a look. "You didn't introduce yourself?"

"Uh... no."

Rolling his eyes, Edward grabbed Ling by the sleeve of his kimono and dragged him up to the bridge. "Guys, this is Ling. He's in my grade at school. Ling, this is Al, my brother, and Winry. She's part of our host family."

Ling smiled and waved. "Hello." he said. "I suppose I had better give the official tour, or Hisoka-kun will get mad at me again." He took a deep breath. "This is a traditional Japanese garden, modeled after those from the Nara period in Japanese history. The sand exists to calm the mind and seem like a miniature landscape, the rocks serve as resting points for the eye and also appear as mountains. The sound of the water is soothing and the fish add color. In the autumn, the maple leaves are red and orange, and they complement the colors of the koi. Um... let's see..." The ponytailed teenager grinnned sheepishly. "I kinda forgot the rest. Tsuzuki didn't give me time to grab the pamphlet."

Winry laughed. "Why don't you just take us through the garden?" she asked smiling.

As they walked through the garden, Ed was confronted by masterpiece after masterpiece of landscape architecture and planning. Ling told them that this particular garden was designed by a Buddhist monk to give a calming respite from the rigors of day-to-day life. Now, with the ice coating the bushes and trees, it looked like something out of a fairytale.

When Ed spotted a bench facing a miniature version of the large raked-sand garden from the front of the garden, he took a seat. "You guys can go all the way through." he told Ling, Al, and Winry, who were waiting for him impatiently. "I'll wait for you here, okay?"

"Aw, come on, niisan." Al whined. "You're no fun."

"Go on." Ed replied, waving them off with his hands. "I'll be fine."

Shrugging, Ling led the other two onwards. As soon as they were out of sight, Ed slumped on the bench, staring morosely at the stack of rocks in the center. To his surprise, he was feeling slightly homesick and out-of-place. The serene, alien beauty of the garden only compunded his feeling of alienation. Sighing, he turned so that he was lying flat on the stone bench. The chill seeped through his black coat as he closed his eyes against the too-bright midmorning sun and tried not to think.

"You're not allowed to lie down on the benches." came a cool, slightly detached voice from above him.

Ed opened his eyes, squinting. The brown haired boy, who had previously been mannning the cash register, was staring down at him. "Sorry." Ed muttered, slowly rising back into a sitting position.

"Thanks." the boy said, preparing to move on. But something in Ed's gaze arrested him, and he turned back. "Is everything all right?" he asked curiously.

Edward shrugged. "I suppose."

Taking that as an invitation, the boy sat, making sure he never touched Ed. "My name's Hisoka." he said.

"Ed."

"I noticed your friends aren't with you. Did you have a fight?" Hisoka continued awkwardly.

Edward shook his head. "No, I'm just feeling homesick... I guess."

"Mm." the boy replied. It seemed as though he didn't communicate with people well, because there was a long, awkward pause before he spoke again. "I get homesick too, sometimes. I'm actually from England, but my parents didn't want to raise me and so they passed me off to Tsuzuki. Apparently he was the son of one of my father's business partners, and he was looking for someone to help him with work. Figure that one out." He laughed bitterly. "It's funny that I still get slightly homesick, since it's so much better here."

Ed also smiled, glad that someone could feel the same way as he did. "It wasn't that great back in Germany, either. My dad's such a great scientist that he's always traveling, and he never has time for us at home. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't know how to treat us."

Hisoka nodded. "It's strange, isn't it? Sometimes it's so different here that I can't help but wish I was back where I used to live. I can't even call it _home_ anymore, but sometimes I miss it. Especially in places like this. I guess rock gardens make you think. That's what they're supposed to do, after all."

"I suppose. I haven't been this homesick since we got here, but now... I don't know. I guess it's just because I have time to think, and realize how different it is over here." Edward wrapped his jacket tighter around him, suddenly feeling even more lonely now that he had confessed his feelings. "I want to go back, but at the same time, I want to stay here forever."

The boy gazed at him with brilliant green eyes, then went back to examining his the white cranes that patterened his indigo kimono. They were silent for a few minutes, then Hisoka got to his feet. "I don't know if it comforts you much, but I feel exactly the same way. Sometimes, knowing someone is lonely like you can help a lot."

Edward blushed slightly, and smiled. "Thanks for listening to me."

"No, thank you." Hisoka replied seriously. "I know it's selfish, but I'm glad that you were able to understand my feelings. Tsuzuki tries his best, but he's very dense. He's lived his whole life here in Japan, and he doesn't understand how I could miss my old life." He turned to head down the path. "Goodbye, Edward."

As he disappeared from sight, Ed turned to gazing at the rockpile in the center of the swirling sand. But now, instead of feeling frozen inside, he felt warm.

---

After meeting back up with Al and Winry, they headed into the teahouse to eat lunch. Instead of Hisoka, as Edward had hoped, they were served by a smiling, bespectacled man with long blonde hair, called Watari. Once the steaming miso soup and tonkatsu (pork) had been devoured, they headed back out into the bustling streets of Central.

Ed was struck immediately by the stark contrast between the quiet, airy teahouse and garden and the overcrowded, energetic sidewalks. As they walked further into the city, the small buildings and restaurants were replaced by gleaming steel-and-glass office buildlings, which soon gave way to a multitude of colored signs and glowing advertisements. Even at two in the afternoon, giant TV screens broadcasted endorsements for Coca-Cola, Sony, and Dublith Village's newest semi-professional baseball team. Just imagining what it must look like at night gave Edward a headache.

But something nagged at him even more than the obnoxious ads. They were surrounded by black-haired, one-hundred percent Japanese people. Nowhere else did Ed see a blonde or even a brunette, barring the teenage girls walking past with orange and chocolate-colored streaks in their hair. He knew he, Al, and Winry stuck out like a sore thumb, and finally he voiced the question that was nagging at him.

"Why aren't all the kids at school black-haired and brown-eyed like this?" he asked Winry. "Aren't they all Japanese, too?"

The blonde giggled. "After World War II, the area around our school was an American military base. After a while, lots of the American soldiers started marrying Japanese women, or they decided that they liked it here and that they would stay. So a bunch of kids there are half-Japanese or not Japanese at all, but they've adopted the culture and the language. Also, when people from Europe or Africa or other areas move to Japan, they feel more comfortable in a district with a bunch of different ethnicities, rather than a mostly-Japanese place. So they end up living around our school too." She smiled. "Got it?"

Ed shrugged. "I suppose..." he said, still slightly confused. "That did explain a lot."

Al looked at his watch, then tapped Winry on the shoulder. "We should get back to the teahouse." he told her. "It's already almost three."

Winry nodded and grabbed Al's hand. "Come on, Ed." she called over her shoulder, oblivous to Al's blush. The three ran down the streets until they reached the teahouse, severely out of breath and fifteen minutes past the appointed meeting time.

"There you are!" Gracia cried in exasperation as they skidded to a halt in front of her, red-faced and panting. "I was so worried!" To Edward's surprise, she was accompanied by none other than Maes Hughes, who was solicitously holding her bags.

"Hey, Ed!" the ubiquitous janitor greeted with a smile. "So this is the girl I heard you were living with? Nice catch." He grinned at Winry, who giggled.

Ed rolled his eyes. "She's from my _host family_." he explained slowly.

"Ooh, you hooked up with your host?" Hughes asked curiously.

"You manage to twist everything I say!" Ed cried, not sure whether to laugh or to punch him. He ended up doing neither, and instead introduced Winry and his brother to the cheerful man.

Winry smiled at him. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." she said politely, Al echoing her sentiments.

As soon as the introductions were finished, Gracia cleared her throat. "I'm really sorry, Hughes-san, but I need to take these three back to their house." She held out her hands for the bags, which Hughes handed back to her reluctantly.

"You'll meet me for dinner, though?" he asked hopefully. "Seven o'clock, the Twin Gates restaurant? My treat."

The principal smiled and blushed a bit. "I'll do my best." she replied.

While they pulled away, Ed turned around to wave at Hughes, who beamed and gave him the 'V for victory' sign. Grinning back at him, Edward made a mental note to talk to Envy and Roy about their manager's little crush.

---

Later that night, as he lay in bed, Ed contemplated the day's events. Stroking Den - who had managed to worm her way under his covers and was now taking up more than half the bed - he replayed Hisoka's words in his head.

_"Sometimes, knowing someone is lonely like you can help a lot._"

And it did help. Even though he would probably never see the brown-haired boy again, his words warmed Edward. To have found someone who could sympathize with his homesickness made Ed feel grateful beyond words. If he hadn't met Hisoka, he would have probably kept his feelings bottled up inside him until he exploded. After all, Alphonse was having the time of his life, with no regrets and without looking back. Envy probably wouldn't have been able to comprehend his alone-ness, and the same went for Roy, Winry, Hughes, and Ling. And all he would have gotten from Gracia or Riza was a sympathetic smile and a promise that it would all get better soon.

Den's warm bulk pressed against him as he rolled over and pulled the covers back over him, causing the dog to whuffle in protest. Curling up and burying his face in the pillow, he let the hollow ache in his chest subside as he cried.

However much he tried to deny it, Ed _did_ have feelings, and he _did_ miss Germany - the food, the smells, the cities, the dirt, Russell... even his dad, a little bit. And knowing that he wasn't alone in feeling alone, something loosened inside of him. He would never tell Al that he had cried for Germany - hell, he would never tell Al that he cried _at all_ - and he would never tell Russell that he missed him. But just for now, in his heart of hearts, he could acknowledge that some part of him would always be back there.

Back _home_.

* * *

Alas. I meant for this to be a happy chapter. And there's a little crossover in here, but I couldn't really think of any more FMA characters. Dangit, I feel sad and angsty now. Anyway, don't forget to drop a line and tell me what you thought - **review**!

Also, if you like this story, please check out my other FMA fanfiction.  
**ROYED** - Dark Horse  
**EDVY** - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

-sigh- Back to chemistry. And I still have to do my english homework. Damn.


	11. Black Nail Polish

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Hm. Did you know that Tylenol helps for cramps? Actually, I take Tylenol for everything (I'm either going to get addicted or develop a resistance to the stuff), so I'm not sure if it's just me, but yeah. It's good stuff.

WARNING: SCARxAL IS AN AWESOME PAIRING!! HELL YEAH!! ...Are my weird pairing fetishes scary? I guess they even scare _me_ sometimes. Ah, well, c'est la vie.

Songs: 'I Know' by _Save Ferris_ and... 'Wonderful', by _Everclear_.

My feet hurt, my hips are sore, and I'm dead tired. Don't you just love school dances? -cackles- Homecoming!!! I really like dancing. It's so... energetic! But now I can't get to sleep, so I guess I'll randomly start writing.  
Just to warn you, I have absolutely no idea where this chapter's going. The only reason that it's out _now_ is because Gold Dragon of Darkness threatened to _shank_ me (actually, roast me slowly like a marshmallow) if I didn't get my ass in gear. Not that I mind being threatened. -sigh- Story of my life. So this chapter's for her. Woohoo!

* * *

Chapter Eleven  
_Black Nail Polish_

"Hey, did you hear about Hughes and Gracia?" Edward asked as he sat down in his customary spot between Envy and Roy. Today Envy looked marginally more awake than in the previous weeks, and maybe even a little excited (Ed had no idea why). Roy looked the same as ever, but there was an extra glint in his eyes that Ed couldn't quite place. So he dismissed their furtive glances and secretive grins as nothing.

Envy perked up. "What about Hughes?" he asked, always eager for gossip. Roy looked up also.

Ed smirked, being glad, for once, that he was the one with the juicy tidbit of information. "I think they're going out."

Roy turned back to his overdue chemistry homework, and Envy made one of his 'psh' noises. "We knew about that a _year_ ago." he said, flapping his hand dismissively.

"A _year_?" This time it was Ed's turn to widen his eyes and look up, surprised. "They've been going out for a _year_? They acted like they had known each other for less than a month!"

"Yeah, I guess Gracia's really shy." Roy replied, smiling. Out of the whole band, Roy was the one who seemed closest to their manager. If they had been closer to the same age (if Hughes had been ten years younger, for example) they could have been best friends.

"They're probably going to get married in a year or so." Envy said. For some reason, he had pulled out a zippered pouch from his backpack and was busily rummaging through it. "Ah." he said quietly, pulling out a small bottle. The insidious odor of nail polish filled the back of the classroom as he opened it and began a touch-up on his fingers.

Edward watched him curiously. Finally, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The greenish-haired teenager gave him a deadpan look. "My nails, of course." he replied in a 'duh' tone of voice.

"Well, I _know_ that." Ed replied using the same tone. "But _why_?"

Envy looked up to grin at him before turning back to his miniature manicure. "Because it makes me look pretty, of course!" he replied with supermodel inflection. By now, Edward had realized that Envy was being evasive, and that he wouldn't get any further information from the teenager. So he shrugged.

"Whatever." Then he turned back to Roy. "Are you serious? Hughes and Gracia are getting married?"

Roy shrugged. "Probably. I think he's going to propose to her sometime in March. He wanted me to help him go ring shopping with him a few weeks ago."

Edward snorted. "Yeah, that's Hughes, I guess. He and Gracia do make a cute couple, though."

---

"Did you see Envy's nails?" Noah asked him, leaning over her desk to whisper in his ear.

Edward eyed the teacher, 'Barry', warily to make sure he was distracted before replying. "Yeah, he was painting them in homeroom. Why?"

The braided girl shrugged. "I was just making sure. Rose told me about it, but I didn't get a chance to see them for myself."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the psychotic Nikuya-sensei as he leapt over his desk (Who knew he could be that agile?) and landed in front of them. "EDWARD! NOAH!" he bellowed. "NO TALKING IN MY CLASS!"

They straightened immediately, looking slightly shell-shocked. "Y-yes sir!" Ed managed to stutter out, while Noah merely nodded, looking like she was on the verge of having a heart attack.

"Good." Barry replied, seeming to calm down considerably. "If I catch you again, I'll have to chop you up." He gave a more-than-slightly sinister smile before returning to his discourse on the beauty of nouns. ("_The word 'blood' is a beautiful thing. Repeat it after me: "Blood_".)

As they walked out of class together - Envy had disappeared after homeroom, mumbling something about going to the nurse's office - Edward continued his questioning. "What's the big deal about Envy painting his nails?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged. "Depends on what color they are."

"They're black."

Noah blanched slightly. "Seriously?" she asked. "That's the worst color..."

"But _why_?" Ed repeated, getting tired of her indirectness. What was the big deal about Envy painting his nails? Was it some kind of secret, Japanese cult symbol? Knowing Envy...

"It's a kind of sign." Noah said, and Edward prepared for his suspicions to be confirmed. "When he paints his nails, it means he has some kind of plan for someone. Pink means that he's going to ask someone out, yellow means that he's going to get some money somehow, and red means he's angry at someone, and he's going to do something about it."

Ed stared. Envy used _nail polish_ as a warning symbol? And people knew what the different colors _meant_? Just how much power did Envy have? It was scary just thinking about it. But Noah had left one question unanswered. "What's the black mean?"

The girl watched him a moment before replying - _probably to build up the drama of the moment_, Ed thought sourly - then said, "He uses that when he plans to fight someone with everything he's got. He won't give up until they leave the school... or until they're dead."

---

Edward managed to make it through Literature, Math, and Chemistry without thinking too much about Noah's words. But when lunch came, he resolved to ask about the nail polish. Ever since Noah, Rose, Winry, and the others had begun gossiping about Envy and Roy to him, he had lost his faith in their integrity. Now, he wasn't sure if what he had heard was actually true. The best way to find out was to ask Envy himself.

So it was with disappointment that he noted the absence of his two closest friends at the lunch table. Normally, they were there before Ed even walked into the cafeteria, but now their customary seats were empty. Looking around curiously (maybe they decided to buy lunch for once), Edward took a seat.

A few minutes later, Ling came up to him, loaded with at least five of the different entrees for sale. Instead of taking a seat across from him, as was normal, the Chinese teenager stopped and beckoned towards him. Curiously, Ed got up to see what was the matter.

"Hughes wants to see you." Ling said, smiling. "He told me to take you to his office, and he says to bring your lunch."

Confused, Ed nodded. "O-kay..." he replied hesitantly, grabbing his lunch and following Ling. "Why?"

The ponytailed boy shrugged. "I dunno. I think he wants to talk to you about getting a plan to propose to Gracia-sensei, or-" Ling caught the strange look Edward was giving him. "What?"

"He wants to ask _me_ how to propose to Gracia-sensei?"

Ling's smile grew, if possible, wider. "Well, he's asked all of us, but we just made fun of him. He's trying to get someone to take him seriously."

"...I see." Ed replied, still more than a little confused. _So he chooses to talk to me, a fifteen year old high schooler, about his love life?_ That was... strange, to say the least. But Edward liked Hughes - the man was funny, and personable - so he decided to go along with the man's whims. Before they exited the cafeteria, he looked back to check for Roy and Envy. They still hadn't arrived.

---

"Hello, Ed!" Hughes greeted him jovially as he entered the storage closet where the janitor seemed to spend most of his time. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Ed replied, taking a seat with Ling on a small bench in the corner. Ling immediately started scarfing down his food, but Edward placed his lunch on his lap and stared at Hughes. "Why did you want me to come here? And where are Roy and Envy? I thought they'd be with you?"

The janitor gulped. "Er..." he began, rubbing the back of his neck. "They're... getting extra help! Envy needed math tutoring, so Roy took him to the library to give him some extra help. Yeah." Ed narrowed his eyes. Something in the man's manner seemed a little _off_ - he was acting rather tense, and awkward, and kept looking at his watch. Edward was pretty sure his excuse for Roy and Envy's whereabouts was an utter lie, but he didn't want to question him further. It would be best to let Hughes off the hook and confront Envy later.

Ling broke the silence by hastily finishing his mouthful of food and saying, "Hey, didn't you have something to talk to Ed about?"

Hughes looked up quickly, nearly hitting his head against the wall. "Oh yeah! I need your help."

"For asking Gracia-sensei to marry you?" Ed asked wryly, giving him a crooked grin.

"How did you know?" the janitor asked, bewildered. Then he turned to Ling, who was (still) smiling. "Don't tell commoners about your manager's private life!"

Ed mock-glared. "Excuse me? _Commoner_?"

Hughes laughed, looking relieved that Edward seemed to have forgotten his suspicious behavior. "Just kidding, shrimp."

"_SHRIMP_?!"

"Shh!" Ling hushed him. "Don't get too loud! Once we all ditched class to come and practice in here, and Falman-sensei caught us because we were being too loud."

"What happened?" Ed asked, curious despite his anger at being called the s-word.

Ling shrugged. "He told us that, next time we wanted to ditch class, we should be quieter about it."

"Okay, now can we get back on topic?" Hughes asked, raising an eyebrow. Even through he was most likely lying about his friends' location, the janitor seemed serious about his dilemma. "Where do you think it would be most romantic for me to propose to Gracia-san?"

"Um..." Ed decided to take him seriously, because his question was so earnest. "What does Gracia-sensei like doing?"

"She's preparing a dissertation on the psychological themes in Shakespeare's _Macbeth_ for her Ph.D.," Ling supplied. "She loves Ayumi Hamasaki and Italian food, enjoys traditional flower arranging, and has a passion for the arts, especially the symphony. She's also a horrible driver, but she does her best and enjoys taking her car out for trips to Kyoto."

His companions stared. "...Okay..." Edward said finally, glancing sideways at Hughes to see that the man was equally surprised. "Anything else?"

The janitor shrugged. "Can't top that."

"Right. Uh... I guess you could take her to a concert and then to a really fancy dinner, and then give her the ring at a romantic stop on the drive home. How's that?" Ed shrugged. He wasn't a very amorous person at the best of times, and the concept of 'dating' continued to elude him.

Hughes groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "No, no, no! That's too _cliché_!" he cried. "I _can't_ do that to her! She's so original and creative and beautiful and..." he trailed off. "I need something _special_!"

Edward shrugged again. "That sounded special to me," he replied defensively.

"Anything else?" the janitor asked, hopefully.

The three of them lapsed into thought. Idly, Ed noticed the clock above Hughes's head. It was nearly twelve-thirty and time for lunch to be over. He wondered where Roy and Envy were, and what they were _really_ doing. He wondered why Hughes needed to find a way to propose right _now_. And he wondered how forty-five minutes had passed so quickly.

At last, Ling spoke. "Couldn't you just ask her at our spring festival, in March? If you asked, I bet Roy could bully Envy into writing a song for the two of you." When they simply stared, he looked down. "I guess not, then."

"No, it's _perfect_!" Hughes beamed and gave Ling a hearty clap on the back, almost sending him flying to the floor. "Do you think Envy would do that for me?"

The ponytailed teenager shrugged. "If you asked nicely enough. If Roy made him."

"Great!" the janitor, all smiles, ushered them out of his storage closet just as the bell rang. "Thanks for your help, Ed!"

Edward paused. "But... I really didn't do anything."

---

People were still behaving strangely in Ed's IT classroom. For one, Clara wasn't there - he was glad that she didn't give him her patented glare of death, but a little wary also. Who knew what she could be getting up to? Her friends were abuzz with gossip, and would ignore Tucker's speech on the value of graphic design to lean across the empty space and whisper to each other.

Ed was beginning to feel a little left out... and a little freaked out, too. Was there a connection between Envy's black nail polish and Clara's mysterious disappearance? But that was impossible - Edward knew for a fact that Roy and Envy had no idea Clara was the one who had ordered him to get beaten in the halls. And why did Hughes and Ling make an effort to keep him out of the lunchroom? Was it possible that Roy and Envy were going through with their dastardly plan... did Envy really have a vendetta against someone, like Noah said? Had he and Roy been trying to protect Ed from their 'dark side', or something?

Who knew? Right now, Edward had to wait, and believe in Roy's words: '_Have we ever given you a reason not to trust us? ...And I'll make sure we won't_.'

But, damn. He really hated to be left in the dark.

---

During the last few periods, Edward heard more gossip - something about Clara starting to scream in the middle of the cafeteria and running outside as though she was being chased, about how she had already begun filling out her transfer papers, and that everyone really thought she deserved whatever had happened. And with every whisper he overheard, the bubble of suspicion in his mind grew. He was almost _certain_ that her sudden descent into what could be termed 'insanity' had everything to do with Envy and Roy, and nothing to do natural circumstances (whatever those could be).

Now he was shivering outside with Roy and Envy - who had miraculously reappeared, and watching them carefully for any signs of duplicity as he interrogated them. "So, where were you guys all during school."

Envy looked at Roy, then shrugged, his hands buried deeply in the pockets of his sweatshirt. "Ditching, I guess. We mostly hung out in the library so Roy could help me with my math." Here he sighed. "Calculus is _so _hard."

"Did you guys ask Hughes to get me out of the lunchroom?"

"Huh? Hughes called you out?" Roy asked, looking up. "About what?"

Ed rolled his eyes. _Like you don't know_. "He needed to talk to me about proposing to Gracia."

Roy smirked. "Really? So he's going to go through with it?"

"Did you hear what happened to Clara?" Edward asked, ignoring Roy's pleased smile.

Envy shook his head sadly. "Poor girl." he said, looking, in a masterpiece of acting, genuinely sorry for her. "I can't say I didn't see it coming, though. She was so high-strung it was only a matter of time before the stress got to her."

This didn't merit a response, so Edward just gave a frustrated huff. He knew they were keeping the truth from him, but what could he do? If he confronted them, it would only get nasty - he knew himself well enough to realize that he would begin to get angry, and probably start a fistfight. And that was a _big_ no-no. But he did feel hurt that Envy and Roy didn't feel the need to confide in him. He opened his mouth to continue their conversation when Clara hurried up to him. She looked frazzled - her hair was in disarray and she was deathly pale. He didn't fail to note the quick, paranoid glance she gave his companions before she spoke.

"Goodbye, Edward. Our brief association was quite _stimulating_."

Ed stared as Clara had continued. Perhaps she had really gone insane.

"I hope we meet again sometime, as _man_ and _woman_."

He nearly choked on his own spit as Clara flounced away. When he was able to meet his friends' eyes again, he was bright red. The only word he could manage was, "Ew."

"_Sex_?" Envy choked out between bursts of laughter. "She wants to have _sex_ with you?" He cackled loudly, drawing stares from his fellow students. When he realized no one else was laughing, he calmed down somewhat. "Okay. I'm done now." But Ed could still see the suppressed amusement in his eyes.

Deciding that a change of subject would be the most prudent course of action, he shook his head and quickly asked, "Why did you wear black nail polish today, Envy?"

---

'_...and he told me it was because he was "in mourning for society"._' Ed typed, finishing his lengthy email to Russell back in Germany. Winry had finally dragged he and Al to the library to find books for her research report, and Ed had stolen some time on the computers. It had taken at least an hour for him to sum up everything that had happened to him in the past three weeks, and he had only told Russell the most important parts. After a moment's thought, he added another paragraph.

'_Do you think I should confront Envy and Roy? Or should I just let it go? I don't want to get in a fight with them again, but I don't want them to think I need to be protected. I can take care of myself... Anyway, how's everything back home? Tell Heiderich I said hi._'

Sighing, he pressed the 'send' button. It was four-thirty here in Japan, meaning that it was only about nine-thirty in Germany. But he would make sure to go to the library tomorrow to check Russell's reply.

"Are you _finally_ done, Ed?" Winry asked, emerging from the shelves. Al trailed behind her with a huge pile of books.

Edward nodded. "Yeah, let's get going." He grinned at the two of them, making sure they couldn't see his inner dillema. "Let's go get some dinner. I'm famished!"

* * *

Haha, an anticlimactic ending that still somehow manages to be a cliffhanger! -cackles- Don't worry, next chapter will have plenty of explanations. But if you want to find out what Envy and Roy actually _did_, check out Dear Diary, which shall be updated... TOMORROW! Yay! (Sorry, I'm lazy, I need to do work, life caught up with me, etc.)  
My nails are actually painted sparkly gold. Meaning I went to a dance yesterday and today I really need to clean my room. But I've picked most of it off... which y'all really didn't need to know, but whatever. I'm not sure about this chapter _at all_, but it's definitely better than Chapter Eight. I really need to revise that one. It's so bad it _hurts_. Anyway, drop a line, leave a review, you know the drill.  
Please? 


	12. Life as We Know It

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** It's funny - when I'm supposed to be doing homework, I end up feeling bad and working on writing this. It takes priority, which is kind of sad, but kind of good, I guess - for you.

WARNING: I just found my chemistry homework from two nights ago under my keyboard. Now I _have _the homework, but I also have an F on that assignment. -is an idiot-

Songs: 'Accidentally in Love' by _Counting Crows_; 'A to the B' by _Infernal_; 'Bubbly' by _Colbie Caillat_

I just went to the opera with my orchestra class from school (I play violin). We saw '_The Marriage of Figaro'_, with music composed by Mozart. It was the first time I went to the opera, and it was quite good, I must say. The opera was hilarious, the music was genius, and I'm still more than half in love with Mozart. So, that's my fine-arts-geek story. -sweatdrop- -awkward pause- Better just get on with the story, huh?

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**  
_Life as We Know It_

**From:** Russell Tringham (blueeyedhunkhotmail. com)  
**To:** Edward Elric (fullmetalElricyahoo. com)  
**Subject: RE:** Japan, so far...  
**Date:** January 20, Tuesday

_You're having an interesting time so far, huh? This "Roy" guy sounds pretty cool. I'd like to meet him. Same with Havoc and Riza (she sounds sexy). I guess Ling would be cool to talk to, too. But your English teacher - what the fuck? I thought we had weird teachers in Germany, but he tops them all. Can't you just see him becoming a serial killer? Unless, of course, he is one already. That would be __really__ freaky. And, dude - I can't believe you made so many enemies in your first week. What, did you go out of your way to be a brat? (More than usual, I mean, of course.) _

_Didn't the principal specifically tell you __not__ to get into fights? Or does the little thingy with Clara-whatshername not count? How about karate? That's fighting, isn't it? I wish I was in karate. Girls go for the strong and silent types, but they like ninjas better. If you demonstrate your 'skills' when you get back, I bet you'll get some automatic girlfriends._

_Speaking of girlfriends, the chicks in Japan sound __hot__. You should invite me over, I'd like to meet "Winry" or whatever her name is. And Rose doesn't sound like she looks that half-bad, either. Same with Riza and Noah and even __Clara__. Lucky bastard._

_Have you found a girl you like yet? From what you told me, you don't really talk to many females. Except Envy - is that really his name? If he paints his nails, and reads that gay manga you talked about, then I think we can pretty much assume that he's a fag. Do you like him? The way you talk about him... heheh. I always knew you were queer._

_But he sounds like a pretty cool guy. I mean, __I__ wouldn't have risked my life and limbs to save you from some senior hunks. (I also wouldn't have hugged you afterward; ew.) He and Roy are really watching out for you, you know. Maybe they think you need some parental guidance, or something. And that Clara thing was really fucked up. What kind of bitch goes that far to try and get revenge on her boyfriend? I don't even know her, and she scares the crap out of me. Geez._

_If I were you, I'd be glad that they got rid of her. Envy and Roy probably just did it for your own good. Your 'boyfriend's' going to be hurt if you make a big fuss about it. After all, you probably wouldn't have been smart enough to think of that kind of revenge. (Whatever they did, it sounds bad...) Just kind of forget about it, I guess. Clara's gone, and that's a good thing, right? If you keep bugging them about it, you'll have another one of those angst-fights._

_Anyway, everything's fine here in Germany. It's still really cold out, and the schoolwork is pretty hard. You're lucky because it's near the end of the school year in Japan. We're just getting into the hard math and stuff now. Heiderich says 'hi' back, and he wants to know if you've become a ninja master yet. Should I tell him yes? (He also wants to know if you wear one of those flowery dress things... what are they called? Kiminos? Kinomos? Kimonos?)_

_Fletcher says 'hi'._

_-Russ_

_P.S. Has the food there made you taller?_

---

**From:** Edward Elric (fullmetalElricyahoo. com)  
**To:** Russell Tringham (blueeyedhunkhotmail. com)  
**Subject: RE:** Japan, so far...  
**Date:** January 22, Thursday

_DON'T YOU EVEN DARE CALL ME SHORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!! I DO _NOT_ WEAR A KIMONO, EITHER! THOSE ARE FOR _GIRLS_, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Stupid horny bastard. I'm not gay. Envy's not my boyfriend, either._

_...Thanks for your advice, and Al says 'hi'._

_-Ed_

_P.S. When I _am_ a ninja master, I will kick your ass._

---

The cafeteria seemed a bit more crowded than usual, as though all those who hid from Clara's dominance had found reason to come out in the light once again. Chatter was free and easy, and some even went so far as to celebrate, passing Envy and Roy in the halls with high fives. (Of course, the two claimed it was for their overall awesomeness, but it was certain that wasn't the case.)

Edward had decided to leave the matter alone; after all, as Russell had said, Clara was gone and she wouldn't be coming back. He didn't have to worry about getting jumped in the halls any more, or being accosted in his Information Technologies class. He still couldn't understand _why_ she had chosen to annoy him, but that was in the past. Right now, he was sitting and eating lunch with Roy, Envy, and Ling, his _friends_. That was what mattered.

"Hey, guys!" Envy was saying excitedly through a mouthful of sticky white rice. "We have tomorrow off! We should get together and do something!" He bounced up and down excitedly, waving his chopsticks in the air to call attention to himself. He was summarily ignored.

Roy, busy with his chemistry book, merely shrugged, and Ling, who had already wolfed down his rather large meal, got up for seconds. Ed was lost in his own thoughts, gazing out the window. _I'm glad I took Russell's advice. It's funny - no matter how much of an asshole he is, he's usually right. Except, he's _obviously _wrong about me and Envy_.

"Guuuuys!" Envy whined, snapping his fingers under Roy's nose and waving his other hand in Ed's face, startling him out of his musings. "What do you think?"

"Hunh?" Roy looked up, startled. "Think about what?" His nearly completed chemistry homework was splattered with grains of rice from Envy's chopstick waving, along with his textbook. He brushed them off hastily while waiting for Envy's reply.

The long-haired teenager rolled his eyes. "Never mind." he said, also noticing Edward's clueless look. He crossed his arms and flopped his chin down to the table, sighing. "I'll wait until Ling comes back."

Roy shrugged and turned back to his outline of copper's bonding processes, while Ed watched Envy. A few strands of greenish hair had fallen across his purple eyes, which were at the moment looking into the distance. He had left his customary black headband at home, giving him a tamer and more feminine appearance. Edward wondered if he died his hair. Probably.

But his thoughts were interrupted by Envy, who realized he was being observed and looked up to meet his eyes, smiling. Ed blushed at being caught staring, but, instead of commenting on his behavior, Envy merely closed his eyes again, seeming to bask in Edward's appraisal.

"Aw, aren't _we_ so cute." a deep, syrupy voice came from behind Ed, causing him to jump. "Trying to seduce your little boyfriend, Envy?"

With that, Envy's eyes snapped open, and he glared, sitting up straight. "_Greed_." he growled. "Go _away_." To Ed's surprise, his cheeks were slightly pink.

Edward turned to see the self-confident senior lounging against the table behind them. His customary leather jacket had been switched to a leather vest, in honor of the warmer-than-usual January day, but the fur collar remained, as did his trademark glasses. "Why should I go away?" he asked, smirking. "Don't you love me, little brother?"

"Shut up." Envy muttered. For some reason, he didn't seem so inclined to leap at Greed's throat. As he sank lower in his seat and crossed his arms, Ed realized that he was probably hoping that Greed would simply get bored and leave.

The senior sighed. "Aw, little Envy doesn't like me." He placed a theatrical hand over his heart before smirking again. "I guess he won't want to hear my _wonderful_ news, then."

Envy tried and failed to keep an emotionless look on his face. Finally, he looked up to meet Greed's eyes. "What?" he asked, frustrated that he let his curiosity show. Edward also looked over to the leather-clad teenager, wondering what he would have to say.

Greed slipped his sunglasses down his nose, so his curiously slitted eyes were visible, and winked at Ed. "Sorry, cutie, it's family news only." As Ed looked away, embarrassed, he beckoned to Envy. "C'mon, palmtree."

"No." the green-haired junior replied, sinking down firmly in his chair. "If you have news, everyone can hear it." He gave Greed a challenging look.

Sighing, his adoptive brother turned. "Fine, then." he said. "It's a pity you won't get to know what I have to say." He made a show of walking away, and Ed couldn't resist rolling his eyes at the dramatic air of it all.

"Okay, fine!" Envy cried, standing and vaulting over the table to join Greed. Roy looked up from his homework to observe them as Greed led Envy to a corner and proceeded talking to him in a low mutter. Once it became apparent that they wouldn't proceed to exchanging blows (or anything else), he turned back to his work. Ed, resolving not to get caught staring again, turned to Roy and made a show of checking over his chemistry.

After a few minutes Envy returned, smiling widely. He refused to acknowledge Roy and Ed's curious looks as he sat back down with the air of a satisfied cat, greeting their inquiries with a small shrug and saying, "No big deal."

Edward, realizing he wouldn't find out what Envy's news was until the teenager decided to tell him, just shrugged, choosing instead to ask, "Where's Ling?"

Roy had apparently figured out the same thing as he wrote the last chemical formula and shut the book. "He's probably bargaining with the servers for more food." the dark-haired junior commented.

"Yeah, well, it shouldn't be taking _this_ long." Envy complained. He began tapping his chopsticks on the table in a complicated drum rhythm.

"You do know that's bad luck, right?" someone commented from behind them. The three turned to see Ling, who was walking towards them with his overloaded tray grasped in both hands. He was wearing his characteristic grin, keeping his strange-looking eyes scrunched up.

Envy rolled his eyes. "Bad Luck is a band." he replied, a comment that made no sense whatsoever. Then, he suddenly seemed to remember why he had been excited in the first place. "Ooh, Ling, get over here!"

When the ponytailed teenager had taken a seat, Envy leaned forward eagerly. "Okay. So, since tomorrow's a day off, let's get together and hang out!" His enthusiasm shone through his eager grin as he waited for a response to his excited suggestion.

Roy gave him a look. "_That_ was your life-changing idea?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Edward rolled his eyes, and Ling went back to his food.

Envy pouted. "Yes, it was." he said sulkily, pouting. When no one responded, he said, "_I_ thought it was a good idea. Can you guys make it?"

After shoveling the final mouthful of pickled vegetables, Ling gave him an apologetic grin. "Sorry, bud. I have to work tomorrow."

"And I'm going to a baseball game with Havoc, Riza, and them."

When Roy mentioned Envy's least favorite sport, the green-haired teenager wrinkled his nose and made a face. "Must you?" he asked with distaste. In return, he received another look. "Fine then. And you, Ed? What have _you_ got going on this weekend?"

Edward shrugged mildly, conscious of his companion's frustration. "Nothing, really." he replied, setting Ling's tray on top of his own and preparing to take them to the trash.

Envy grinned suddenly, undergoing a mercurial mood swing. "Great!" he cried, clapping his hands. "I'll come and grab you from that-bitch-Winry at ten or something, 'kay?" His smile was infectious, as was his enthusiasm, so Ed had no choice but to nod and acquiesce to his plans.

"Just don't get raped, Ed." Roy warned, winking and stuffing his completed work into his backpack.

"_What _did you say?!" Envy asked dangerously as Edward, trying to hold back his laughter, grabbed the trays and headed to the row of garbage cans.

---

School ended in a flurry of snow. The wind whipped Ed's braid wildly as he pulled his coat tighter around him and buried gloved hands in his pockets. It looked like a blizzard was going to start soon, and he hoped that the weather would clear in time for his and Envy's outing tomorrow. To tell the truth, he was rather excited by the prospect of hanging out with Envy - and no one else. Not that he liked the guy, of course. Not at all.

Speaking of which... Edward looked around. He usually took ten minutes or so to meet with Envy and Roy - Ling had gymnastics - outside after school, but neither had shown up yet. He was ready to give up on them and go to find Winry and Al when he saw a palmtree-like figure moving through the swirls of white. Craning his neck, Ed peered into the storm.

It seemed like Envy was hurrying towards a girl whose long hair was being tossed about by the wind. Suddenly, he caught her up in a large embrace, burying his head in her shoulder and squeezing her tight. Ed looked away, feeling slightly put-out. Far be it from him to interrupt Envy's time with a _girlfriend_.

He shouldered his bag once more, pointedly _not_ looking in Envy's direction, and trudged down to the underclassman side of campus. All the anticipation for tomorrow had gone out of him, and he felt slightly hollow. So. Envy had a close friend, who was a girl, whom he was obviously very attached to. Thus, a girlfriend, and Ed's romantic rival for Envy's attention. That is, she _would_ be a rival if Edward had any romantic feelings for Envy whatsoever. He didn't.

But still... What if Envy was so absorbed with his companion - yes, _companion_; Ed wasn't quite ready to admit she was his girlfriend - that he forgot all about their plans for tomorrow? What if he decided he would rather spend his time with her? What if - horror of horrors - what if he brought the girl _with_ him? What if he realized that Edward was kind of sort of maybe jealous? What if Envy made fun of him for his feelings? (The feelings that _didn't exist_, of course.)

He was so absorbed with his apprehensions that he didn't see Winry until he bumped into her. The blonde girl took his arms to steady him. "Watch where you're going, Ed." she chastised, releasing him once she was sure he wouldn't fall.

"Sorry, Winry." he apologized, giving her a large and mostly fake grin as he took a step backwards. "Where's Al?" The taller brunet was mysteriously absent from Winry's side.

The blonde grinned slightly. "He wanted to stay after a little bit to talk to Archer-sensei about his history project." she explained, naming a teacher Edward had never heard of. "He should be out in, like, five minutes or so."

Ed sighed. He had wanted to get out of here as soon as possible to avoid Envy, but it looked as though he would have to wait. His teeth chattered and a few flurries of snow blew into his eyes, making him blink. He wondered who Envy's gir- _friend_ was, and whether she went to the same school. Probably not - Edward had never heard of her from Envy, nor had he ever seen Envy hugging a girl. That meant his adversary was from some other place and Ed knew nothing about her besides the length of her hair.

He sighed again, and his breath wooshed out in a cloud of condensation. Winry's proximity lent him no comfort as he once again scanned the flurrying snow for a sign of his friends. Why did he have to be so _envious_, and of Envy? The irony was stifling.

"Hey, Ed! _Ed_!" someone called through the swirling storm. The voice was Envy's. A few seconds later, Edward could see his silhouette, and the girl's, too. Reluctantly, he stood up straighter and motioned for Winry to come with him. He might as well face the she-devil now. (In some part of his mind, Ed realized how absurd it was that Envy's companion had gone from _that girl_ to a devil. He squashed the thought immediately.)

With Winry at his side, Ed felt a little more ready to face Envy when the teenager announced his girlfriend. He was making his own statement, saying, 'See? I can get a girl too.' It didn't matter that Winry was, dare he admit, half-an-inch taller, or that he had no romantic feelings for her whatsoever - it was all about the image.

When they got closer to the happy pair, Edward was able to observe the girl closely for the first time. She had soft brown hair falling down past her shoulders, pale green eyes, and a kind smile - she could have been the twin of his mother, and Ed paled when he realized this. All the color came back into his face, however, when he realized that Envy was holding her hand.

Envy waved to them - with his _free_ hand, Ed noted - as they got closer. He tugged the girl forward, making her layered gypsy skirt fly up in the wind. She squeaked and hurriedly pushed it down, but not before Edward (and everyone else in the vicinity) had caught a glimpse of cream colored thighs and pale blue panties. "Hi, Edo." Envy said briskly, ignoring his companion's moment of discomfort. He was nearly jumping up and down with the cold.

"Hey." Ed replied dully, glancing at the brunette again. Her resemblance to his mother was nearly sickening, yet, it seemed, purely coincidental. Envy followed his glance.

"Oh! This is Sloth. Say 'hi'!" he instructed her, grabbing her by the shoulders and gently pushing her forward.

The girl - _Sloth_, another sin name - rolled her eyes and smiled politely at Ed and Winry. "Hello." she said politely, bowing slightly and doing her best to make a welcoming gesture even though her arms were glued to her sides. She had a curiously bohemian style of dressing, with a multicolored skirt, pale yellow legwarmers, a hand-knitted black sweater, and what looked like a gay pride ribbon around her neck.

Winry pointedly ignored her, apparently unable to come to terms with her fashion sense, while Ed gave a polite yet tense smile. Envy, seeing that no further introductions would be made unless he conducted them himself, continued speaking. "Sloth, this is Edward Elric, and this..." he paused disdainfully, "is Winry. Ed's my friend from school." He gave her a proud smile, as though he was trying to impress her with the fact that he could make new friends all by himself.

Before he had a chance to reply, Ed was tackled from behind in a fierce hug. "Nii-san!" his brother cried happily. "It's snowing!" The tension was broken for a moment as Edward smiled at his brother's antics and patted the sandy-blonde head. After a few seconds, Al seemed to realize the company they were in and let go of Ed, blushing. He had just acted like a five-year old in front of his crush, Ed reflected, amused.

Envy kept up the introductions seamlessly, saying to Sloth, "And this is..." - he paused a moment to squint at the teenager - "Ed's little brother, _Aruphonse_." He pronounced the foreign name strangely.

The brunette smiled at him, and bowed once again, murmuring a courteous "Good afternoon." Once again the eerie likeness to his mother was clearly visible. But Trisha wouldn't have been caught _dead_ wearing that getup.

With Al's arrival, Winry began tugging them towards the parking lot where Pinako's car was presumably waiting. Now that she had an excuse, she was doing all that she could to get away from Envy. Normally, Ed would have resisted, but all the fight had gone out of him. Sloth and Envy were still holding hands.

As the three of them turned to leave, Envy caught up with them, alone. "Edo!" he called, grabbing Edward's elbow. "Let me walk you to your car." He pulled back until Ed came to a complete stop and let Winry and Al get a few steps ahead.

"What about your _friend_?" Edward asked, looking back to see Sloth standing alone on the curb. He didn't try very hard to keep the bitterness from his voice as he questioned Envy. So what if she was pretty and unique? _Ed's_ hands were cold, too - maybe Envy could hold _them_.

Ed nearly choked when he realized he had said that out loud. Envy turned to look at him so quickly that he appeared to crick his neck, his eyes wide with shock. "You want me to hold your hand?" he asked incredulously. Then his expression changed into something close to barely suppressed delight. "I mean," he amended hastily, "I _can_, if you want me to, of course."

"Um, no, never mind, sorry." Ed replied, flustered. He would probably be able to fry an egg on his face, he was blushing so furiously. "I meant to ask you, what about Sloth?" It was hard to regain the original tone of resentment through his absolute mortification, but he managed as best he could.

Envy waved a dismissive hand. "She'll be fine." he replied magnanimously. "It's not that cold out, and she's used to wearing a skirt and stuff." At Ed's discontented look, he grasped the question behind the question. "Oh! She's not my girlfriend or anything." he began. They were nearly at the car. "For one, she's, like, twenty-three. Two, she has a kid."

They were at the car now, and Envy paused with his hand still grabbing Ed's arm. "Plus," he added, grinning widely, "she's my sister." He ruffled Edward's hair fondly - almost triumphantly - before pushing him gently to the car. His lips moved again, but Ed was unable to catch the words.

It was only afterwards, being driven home in the nicely heated car, when he recalled Envy's statement: "_I'll hold your hand any time you want me to_."

* * *

Awww, that was so cuuuute! Heh... Sorry, but I couldn't resist the Gravitation reference ("Bad Luck is a band"), the 'envious of Envy' observation, or the comment about Sloth's blue panties. And I also apologize for the _major_ character shifts taking place in this chapter - I didn't know Ed liked Envy that much before, did you? (He's still in denial, bless his shrimplike soul.) But all in all, I'm rather pleased with how this turned out. It was originally going to encompass the events that happen when Envy picks up Ed and everything, but the school scenes were too long, and then I got bored, and it was late (one-thirty at night, yo!). Originally, I was worried about how I would make the lunch scene _long_ enough. Funny how things like that work out, eh? Um, let's see. **Reviews **are nice, like sugar and spice, fo shizzle, etc... Bye! 


	13. a Mild Piercing Fetish

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** I have decided to get a new piercing on each of my birthdays until my ears can hold as many earrings as Ryuichi's ears can. (It might take a while!)

WARNING: My ass is _sore_, I'm having a hard time getting inspiration, and I've slept in my clothes for the past three days and on the floor for the past two. You have been duly warned.

Songs: 'Kiss Me Snow', by _Ayabie_, 'Love Stuff' by _Bad Luck_

I've been really busy since I was tech-ing for _Fame, the Musical_ at our school - rehearsals every day this week until six-thirty; performances on Friday, Saturday, and today. I got to put out a chair in the middle of the stage, and today I got to put out one of the ballet bars too! And none of what I just said was highly necessary, but it does explain my discomfort and my delay for this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**  
_a Mild Piercing Fetish_

Sunday morning dawned bright and clear. The blizzard of the night before had cleared away, and left in its place drifts of glittering, powdery snow. Luckily, the roads hadn't frozen and the black asphalt was still passable. _Un_luckily, the snow drifts had piled up around the door and sides of the Rockbell residence, effectively insulating the residents but also blocking them from the outside world.

Pinako had gotten up early - around six o'clock - to shovel snow. Ed woke up significantly later. When he opened his eyes and saw his clock, he sat up immediately. _Eight-thirty?!_ He had slept in _that long_? Hadn't he set his alarm for eight o'clock, sharp? _Shit_. What if Envy had shown up, waited a while for him, then left? Quickly, ignoring the chilliness of the air against his bare arms, he ran to the window. Thank _goodness_. There was no car waiting in the freshly shoveled driveway.

Taking a deep breath and running his fingers through messy hair - he had been panicking - Edward took a moment to laugh at his own nervousness. Of course Envy wouldn't arrive until at least _nine_. Letting his pounding heart slow down, he grabbed his towel and meandered to the shower.

Ed emerged from the bathroom twenty-five minutes later to find Envy lying on his bed. The teenager was so surprised he almost dropped his towel, before quickly hitching it higher around his waist and blushing. "W-What are you _doing_?" he asked when he had gotten his voice back.

Envy rolled over from where he had been cocooned in Ed's blankets. When he saw Edward wearing nothing but a towel, he grinned fiendishly. "Well, Winry let me in and said you were up here. Are you planning on taking that towel off anytime soon?"

In reply, Ed retreated back into the bathroom, slamming the door. He couldn't _believe_ that Winry would just let someone into his room like that. Okay, he _could_ believe it, but... Didn't he at least deserve some privacy? He sure as _hell_ didn't want to get dressed with Envy watching, then again, he knew the teenager wouldn't be comfortable sitting and chatting with Winry as though they were old friends. Then he realized another essential fact, and slumped against the door, face burning. He still needed to get dressed, and his clothes were in the bureau on the other side of his room. Meaning, regardless of what he decided, he would still have to walk past Envy to get his clothes, thereby opening himself up to all sorts of... _comments_.

Well, it had to be done sometime, right? Gritting his teeth and hoping he wasn't blushing _too_ badly, Edward pushed open the door and walked across his room, doing his best to ignore the eyes that were glued to his every move. But when he reached the drawers, it was too much. "Can you _stop_?" he asked sharply, turning around.

Envy raised his eyes from where they had been trained on his... lower back, grinning again. "Stop what?" he asked innocently.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Look." he said, thinking on the fly. "I'll let you stay in here, but only if you promise not to watch me when I'm changing. Okay?" Envy's silence made him turn around once more, to see that the teenager's eyes had once more traveled to his ass - the thought made him blush yet again. "_Envy!_"

Startled, Envy jumped. To Ed's (embarrassed) amusement, he looked like a puppy who had just been chastened. "Fine." Pouting, the teenager turned over and pulled the comforter up over his head. "Happy?" he asked, voice muffled from the layers of blankets.

"_Thank_ you." Edward replied. He was still too nervous to drop the towel, and managed to get his boxers on while still covering himself. Once he had donned black jeans and some white long-sleeved t-shirt - it was the first thing he had pulled out of the drawer - he turned around again. "Okay, you can come out now."

He hurried back into the bathroom to brush his hair without looking to see if Envy had complied. The golden tangles were awfully wet - he hadn't been given adequate time to dry off - and every time he ran a brush through them, water splattered onto his shoulders and the mirror. "So what are we doing today?" he asked curiously.

"I dunno." Envy replied, his words garbled. Ed turned to see that he was still swaddled in the blankets so that only his eyes were visible. "I thought we could go shopping or get something to eat... stuff like that." He shrugged, then paused as though thinking. "You smell nice, Edo."

...Was that a compliment? Edward chose to give the benefit of the doubt and take it as such. "Um. Thank you?" he replied, faintly pink. Fluffing his hair once more and getting out the majority of the moisture, he deemed himself presentable enough. Grabbing his wallet - if they _were_ going to actual stores, he couldn't expect Envy to pay for everything - and giving himself one last once-over in the mirror - _Looking good, Ed_. - he beckoned to Envy, resisting the urge to snap his fingers and say, 'C'mere, boy.' "Let's get going."

Giving the sheets one final sniff, the teenager climbed out of the bed, stretching. This was one of the few times Ed had seen him in anything besides the grey and white school uniform, so he took an opportunity to check out Envy's fashion sense. He was clad in an extremely tight black shirt showing the Japanese kanji for 'love', _ai_, in red and cargo pants that hung loosely on his hips. As he raised his arms above his head and yawned, his shirt rode up, exposing a pale, well-toned stomach.

Edward only realized he was staring when Envy raised an eyebrow and said, "I thought we were leaving." Blushing, he nodded and grabbed his jacket. Grinning, the brackish haired teenager followed him down the hallway into the kitchen, where Martel was sitting with Al and the Rockbell family, enjoying breakfast.

Wait... _Martel_? What was she doing here?

When Winry noticed them standing in the doorway, she raised an eyebrow. "What took you guys so long?" she asked, taking in their disheveled appearances. Envy's hair was slightly frazzled and his clothes were a bit rumpled from lying in Ed's bed, and Edward's hair was still dripping onto his shoulders.

Martel looked up from her eggs and immediately burst out laughing. "You guys look like-" she began, but Ed widened his eyes and shook his head, speaking louder to cover up whatever she was going to say.

"O-_kay_, we're going to get going now!" he all but shouted. He knew Martel well enough to realize that she had no compunctions against embarrassing the both of them in front of his host family and his brother, and the situation was awkward enough without her adding her own two cents.

To his surprise, Envy went along with him. The teenager grabbed Martel and dragged her away from her breakfast, saying, "Yeah, we had better hurry - Sloth's waiting in the car. Thanks, Pinako-san. Bye, _Winry_." Giving Winry a fake smile and Pinako a genuine one, he hurried the two blondes out of the kitchen.

"Bye!" Ed called over his shoulder as they grabbed their shoes and Envy shoved them both outside.

"_Geez_, Envy!" Martel complained once the door had slammed shut. She rubbed her shoulder and gave the long-haired teenager a baleful look. "I was _eating_!"

Envy rolled his eyes. "No, you were about to embarrass the hell out of both of us." he argued, crossing his arms.

"Well, it _did_ look like you were-"

"Look, Martel." Envy took her arm and began leading her to the car, speaking to her in a low voice. He gave Ed a sidelong glance as they walked away, and the blonde, confused, followed. He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to be part of their conversation and couldn't help feeling a bit left out. (Why was Martel with them, again?)

"But I thought you _liked_ gossip!" the girl said, sounding scandalized. Ed raised an eyebrow, and wondered what Envy was lecturing her about.

The teenager quickly shushed her with a few more whispered words, which made her giggle delightedly. "Aw, that's so _considerate_!" she squealed, and Envy turned faintly pink.

"Yeah, whatever." he replied gruffly, letting go of her arm and slowing down so he could hustle Ed down the driveway and into the street, where Sloth was waiting in a battered Toyota. "C'mon, Edo, we don't have all day!" Edward let himself be pulled towards the small car, mentally shrugging. _If it was a big deal, Envy would have told me_.

As they piled into the car - Martel in front and Ed and Envy in back - Sloth greeted him with a smile and a "Good morning, Ed." She didn't seem bothered about having to wait for more than fifteen minutes, simply starting the car and pulling out into the street. "So, where are we going, Envy?" she asked, glancing back to where the teenager was gratefully warming his hands over the heating vents. Wordlessly, she tossed back a pair of fingerless gloves, which he pulled on gratefully.

"Thanks, Sloth." Envy said, letting his teeth stop chattering. "Holy shit, it was cold out." he muttered. "I dunno where we're going." he said louder, looking at Ed. "Any suggestions, chibi?"

Ed snorted and shrugged. "I have no idea. I've barely been here a month."

"Mm... true." the brackish haired teenager mused, before turning around and rummaging in the trunk, pulling out a long black jacket that he wrapped around himself like a blanket. "Okay, then. Let's go downtown and go shopping!" He grinned and looked at the car's other occupants for their approval.

Martel was shaking her head. "Oh my God, Envy. You're so gay." she moaned. "What kind of guy goes _shopping_ on their day off?"

Envy stuck out his tongue at her. "What kind of _girl_ wears cargo pants and baggy t-shirts?" he retorted, referencing her strange style of dress. "Now that _Martel's_ put in her opinion, what do you think, Sloth? Edo?"

The brunette woman shrugged, smiling slightly. "I don't mind either way." she said mildly. "I have enough money for you if you want to buy stuff, and I'm fine driving you wherever." Edward was amazed at her kind complacency. No wonder Envy loved her.

"I dunno..." he replied when the teenager turned to him for his preferences. "I'm cool with whatever."

"Okay, then!" Envy cheered, clapping his hands together. "It's decided! We're going shopping!"

---

"Envy!" Ed called, hurrying after the gangly teen. "We said we'd meet them at _Kokuban_, not Kokoro!" He practically ran down the street, dodging streams of people in an effort to catch up with the green, spikey hair bobbing up ahead. "Hey! Wait up!"

Shopping with Envy had been nightmarish, to say the least. The teenager had dragged him to more than two dozen shops in the past few hours, passing through like a whirlwind and ever-so-often picking out clothes for Edward's opinion: "Does this look good on me?" "Does this clash with my hair?" "Does this fit, or is it too loose?" He seemed to have an endless amount of money and stamina, bustling about the aisles and flinging on outfits in the changing rooms. Ed had never seen anyone, male _or_ female, shop so _much_.

And he had even gotten clothing for Edward, on top of that! The blonde was now loaded down with two pairs of leather pants, a few pairs of shirts advertising J-rock singers like Gackt and Asagi, some platform boot-things, and a long scarlet coat with a strange symbol on the back, looking like a cross with a snake and wings. 'It's the flamel,' Envy explained when Ed had questioned him. 'It stands for life and stuff. Izumi-sensei has one tattooed on her collarbone.'

The sidewalks were ridiculously packed for a Sunday, but then again, he wasn't in Germany any more and most people considered the end of the weekend to be just another day, as opposed to a 'Sabbath'. It seemed that half of Japan had chosen today for a shopping spree - people were _everywhere_, clogging the sidewalks, forming ridiculously long queues in shops to pay for their selections, and pushing and jostling Ed as he tried his hardest to overtake his companion to tell him that they were headed for the _wrong_ damn restaurant.

"Envy!" he shouted again, before being elbowed in the side by a hurrying passerby. "_Geez_!" he said with a woosh of breath, the wind knocked out of him. This was getting ridiculous. It was time to start playing hardball. "'Scuse me, pardon me, watch out," he muttered as he shoved his way through the crowd, ducking under swinging arms and twisting past suit-clad businessmen. Several times, he came dangerously close to being decapitated as he dove under briefcases and incurred his fellow pedestrians' displeasure. But eventually he reached the green-haired teenager's side.

Envy looked down at him mildly. "Oh, hey Edo." he said, jostling his bags so that he could pat Edward's hair. "I was wondering if I had lost you."

_Yeah, I was wondering if you would notice_, Ed thought, but bit his lip to keep from being sarcastic. "We're supposed to be going to the Kokuban restaurant, Envy." he gasped, still a bit out of breath from his mad rush through the herd of people. "And you said we were headed to _Kokoro_."

"Did I really?" the teenager asked, grinning. "Fancy that." He grabbed Ed's wrist and pulled him closer to the buildings lining the inner-city streets. "Here we are." Before Edward could protest, he tugged him into a cheery looking restaurant called - to Ed's chagrin - _Kokoro_.

The warm aromas of coffee and cinnamon washed over the two as they entered the inviting eatery. Small tables were scattered around the main area, and two doors on either side led to small private rooms. The shop was filled with people, mostly business men and women in black pressed suits, and the golden lights illuminated the frenzied yet calming atmosphere. Chefs shouted to each other over the din of clanging pots and pans, while pairs of people spoke to each other quietly and intimately over their tables.

For a moment, Ed forgot that this was not where they were supposed to be, he was so enthralled by the enormous amount of _life_ that the place exuded. Envy used his momentary lapse in resistance to walk him to the front, where a chocolate-haired cashier was watching them, ready for their order.

"Hungry, chibi?" Envy asked, looking up at the menu displayed above the counter.

Edward gave him a look. "You do know we're at the wrong restaurant." he stated, as more of a fact than a question. The long-haired teenager ignored him, muttering about the merits of udon versus donburi. "Envy!"

"Hunh?" Envy turned to see Ed glaring at him. "Oh, yeah, I know." He smirked. "Sloth and Martel were going to be boring, anyway. They're probably still off buying shoes or some girly shit like that." _And crop tops and eyeliner _aren't_ girly stuff_? Edward wondered, amused. "Anyway, the lady's waiting for us to order."

Rolling his eyes and deciding not to comment, Ed glanced over the list of dishes. Nearly all of them were incomprehensible to him. He only recognized _curry_, _udon_, _maguro_, and _teriyaki_, because he had sampled them before. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices, he decided to leave his lunch up to fate. "Hey," he said, elbowing Envy. "Can you choose for me?"

The brackish-haired teenager grinned. "Sure!" he replied, ruffling Ed's hair as though that was the cutest thing he had heard all day. "Mmkay..." He bit his lip, scanning the menu as the cashier gave him an impatient glance. "Right." He snapped his fingers as he made the decision. "We'll take one unagi bento and a chirashi sushi donburi."

"Drinks?" the woman asked, entering their choices into the computer.

"Mm..." Envy tapped his lip, and the cashier gave him an exasperated look, as did the line that had formed behind them. Edward tried to look smaller as the long-haired teenager made a point of taking an _extra_ long time to reply, just to spite them. "How about... two waters!" Smirking, he handed over the requested money and sauntered away.

---

Envy snagged a corner table in the back, far enough away from everyone else to give them some privacy, but not far enough to get away from the curious glances people were shooting the two boys with their loads of bags.

The blonde placed his acquisitions gratefully down on the booth before sliding in after them, resting his aching arms. Envy pulled out a chair across from him, dumping his things on the floor and flopping into the seat. "So, how did you like shopping, chibi-face?" he asked, grinning.

Edward tried to keep from shuddering. _I am never going shopping with him again_, he promised himself. "It was pretty fun." he replied, eying his multiple purchases. He mentally counted his money, wondering if he would have enough to last for the rest of the trip. If Envy kept up this ridiculous shopping spree, he would be lucky if he could afford drinks on the plane ride home.

"Didja like the stuff I got you?"

Yeah, like he would ever go around dressed in _those_ clothes. Dear God. He resisted the urge to make a face. "Yeah, I guess. I just don't know when I'll be able to wear them, you know?" Ed said politely.

"How 'bout now?" Envy knelt on the floor to rummage through Ed's bags, pulling out the red coat, leather pants, and the new shoes and depositing them on the table. It took him a little longer to find a solid black T-shirt, which he pressed into Edward's hands. "Come on, let's get you dressed!" Bouncing up and down with excitement, he bundled the items into his arms and beckoned for Ed to follow him into the bathroom.

Inwardly, Ed groaned. He had two choices: go into the bathroom with Envy to play 'dress-up', or stand here and have a huge argument with the teenager about _why_ he didn't want to look like an idiot and cause even more people to stare at them. It wasn't too hard of a choice. Rolling his eyes, he followed his friend like a condemned man on his way to the executioner.

Luckily, the bathrooms were so clean they were almost sterile, and the stalls were nearly all empty. Envy shoved the clothes into Edward's hands and pushed him to the nearest stall. When Ed resisted, he grinned. "Are you trying to say you'd rather change out here, in front of me?"

Blushing, Ed hurried into the cubicle, double-checking that the door was _locked_ before he began stripping. The first thing he pulled on was the shirt, which seemed a bit too tight, pinching under his arms and making him feel self-conscious about his stomach. Next came the leather pants, which he could tell were going to start chafing his thighs eventually. He had to jump up and down a couple of times to pull them all the way up, and wondered what Envy thought, watching outside. The shoes were a lot easier to put on, but it took him a while to figure out the not-so-complicated system of straps that kept them on. They elevated him about an inch, and that was _great_ - it was hard to believe how different the world looked from a few centimeters up. The cloak-thing came last. It must have looked absolutely ridiculous on him - the sleeves came down a bit past his wrists and it ended just below his knees. It made him feel like a clown - the red would cause him to stick out like a sore thumb.

Sighing, and determined that he would _not _be embarrassed no matter how much Envy laughed, he unlocked the stall door and stepped out nervously.

But to his surprise, instead of laughing, the teenager's eyes got wider and wider as he looked Ed up and down. His face flushed a bit, and he shook his head quickly before grinning. "That looks great!" he cheered, clapping. "Just one more thing..." Unzipping one of the many pockets on his cargo pants, he pulled out some kind of black pencil, uncapping it with a flourish. "Hold still, Edo." he said, placing one hand on Edward's forehead and bringing the pencil up to his face.

"Holy shit, no!" Ed cried, flailing and smacking the _eyeliner_ away. He looked gay enough already, thank you very much!

Envy sighed and, surprisingly, let the matter go. "Fine." he grumbled, turning towards the mirror and applying the makeup to his own eyes. "Take a look at yourself, chibi." he told Edward as he concentrated on applying the kohl evenly.

Gulping, Ed turned towards the mirror. His eyes widened in astonishment as he stepped back to view his full reflection. Damn, he looked _good_ in this outfit! Maybe Envy did have some taste, after all. The pants and boots made him appear taller than he had originally, and the red coat complemented his hair nicely. Turning to the side and back, Ed craned his neck to keep watching himself. Not bad, not bad at all.

"Wow." he said to Envy, who had finished his primping. "Um. You have good taste."

"Why thank you, chibi!" Envy replied happily, flicking Edward's cowlick. "But it would definitely look better with eyeliner."

Ed swatted his hands away. "No!" he cried, laughing and running out of the bathroom. Who cared if people stared?

---

When they returned to the table, two surprises were waiting. The first was their food, set neatly down moments before by some bemused waiter who was probably wondering where the heck they were. The second surprise was Sloth and Martel, sitting down comfortably and helping themselves to Ed and Envy's lunch.

"Where were you guys?" Martel asked curiously through a mouthful of food. "Shagging in the bathroom?" Then her eyes caught Edward's new outfit, and she grinned. "Hey, Eddi. Looking _good_..."

Ed grinned while Envy tried to grab the tray away from her. "Thanks!" he replied, taking a seat across from Sloth. "How was your day so far?" he asked the long-haired woman politely as the others wrestled across from them. He found it much easier to talk to Sloth now, since he knew that she was Envy's sister and five years older than both of them.

"It was nice." Sloth replied politely, gesturing to the few neatly wrapped packages placed carefully on the booth next to her. Today her brown hair was divided into pigtails adorned with black ribbons, and her gay pride ribbon had been replaced with a red beaded necklace. "I got some presents for my son, Wrath. His seventh birthday's coming up."

"Mm-hmm." Ed replied awkwardly, not sure how to respond to a comment like that. What were you supposed to say to a girl that got pregnant and had a child when she was younger than him?

Oblivious to his discomfort, the woman continued chatting. "Wrath is a really nice boy, have you met him? Lust, my half-sister, adopted him after I quit school. She's raised him quite nicely, I think. I'm sure she's been a better mother than I ever would." Sloth's eyes grew distant as she got lost in her memories. "His father was a real brute. He was a senior in high school, you know, and I was only in eighth grade. He told me I was beautiful and he loved me more than anyone, but when the kid came..." Her voice trailed off and she laughed. "I really don't know why I'm telling you all this, but you're one of Envy's close friends and if he feels comfortable around you, I do. Not many people accept him either. Ever since-"

Her reminiscing were cut off abruptly as Martel lost hold of the dish and Envy, surprised by the sudden increase in weight, dropped it with a clatter to the floor. "_Shit_!" the brackish-haired teenager cussed, jumping aside as rice, stringy green seaweed, and lumps of some kind of meat spattered across the floor.

Edward sank lower in his seat, trying to hide behind Sloth as nearly the entire population of the restaurant turned to stare. Okay, he hadn't minded the looks he got for his new outfit, but to have people gape at him because of something maybe a _five year old_ would do - that was different. He could feel the blood rush to his cheeks as Martel apologized profusely to the waiters that had come running and Envy tried scraping up the mess with his shoe. Sloth seemed unflustered, watching the negotiations calmly. Ed wished he could have that kind of composure.

Eventually, a deal seemed to have been reached, because the servers hurried away and returned with mops and paper towels. The mess was quickly disposed of, and soon another _two_ steaming dishes were brought out.

"Sorry about that." Envy said, noticing Edward's mortification. "Accidents happen, y'know." He grinned and shoved one of the fresh dishes to the other side of the table. "Is it okay if Sloth shares this with you, Edo?" he asked, gesturing to the food. "Martel's not gonna let me split with her."

"No problem." Ed muttered, still hunched down. He gave the bowl a curious look. "What is all this, anyway?"

Sloth poked at the multicolored arrangement. "Hm. I think this is the chirashi sushi donburi." she said, picking up a shrimp in her chopsticks and casually biting off its head. At Ed's incredulous look, she grinned. "Me and Envy go here a lot, so I have all his favorite dishes memorized. That's how we find you."

"Aha." Edward replied. Mystery solved. But now he had another case to get to the bottom of: what the heck was chirashi something-or-other? "So... um... What's _in_ it?"

The brunette dug around in the bowl for a moment. "This stuff," she said, gesturing towards the lumps of pink fish, "is tuna. And then there's the shrimp - you know what those look like. Mm... That yellow patty thing is tamago - egg..." She neatly snipped of a part of said 'patty thing' and placed it in her mouth. "Then there's the crab, by the shrimp, the wakame (that's a kind of seaweed), and the orange dots are smelt eggs. Those are delicious. Oh! And the whole thing's on top of sushi rice."

"Right." Ed replied, eyeing the conglomeration of foodstuffs. Doubtfully, he snapped open his disposable chopsticks and picked up a piece of the so-called tuna, sniffing it cautiously before placing it in his mouth and chewing. Instead of being fishy, the dense lump was cool and flavored like water. It was good!

Martel was watching him, amused. "Like it?" she asked as Edward's face lit up.

"Heck yeah!" Next - the seaweed. He had tasted 'seaweed' before in the form of _nori_, but this looked totally different. Instead of being in a dried, salty sheet, this wakame was green and still alive-looking. It reminded Ed of the cabbage used for coleslaw. ...But it tasted completely different, with a salty crunch that he immediately took a liking to.

Before he was able to move on to the _tamago_, Envy was in his face, gesturing toward a mound of green paste on his plate. "Here, try some of this." he said innocently. "It's really sweet - that's why it's here; for a dessert." He smiled convincingly and even went so far as to take up a scoop with his chopsticks and hold it to Ed's mouth.

Edward looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "That's _wasabi_, you ass."

---

"Aw, come on! It won't hurt at all!" Envy pleaded, gripping Ed's arm and getting in his face. "Just one little pinch, then it's over! No big deal! Look, I'll even _pay_ for it, okay? Cool, yeah? Come on." He tried wrestling Edward into the small, hole-in-the-wall shop, but Ed would have none of it.

"_Hell_ no!" he cried, pulling desperately away and nearly getting plowed down by the sea of pedestrians. "Help!" he cried vainly to Sloth and Martel. His pleas were ignored. "Envy, I am _not_ getting my ears pierced! There is _no way_ you will make me go into that shop."

Envy pouted cutely, but kept the iron hold on his wrists. "Why not, Edo?" he asked. "Do you need a _bribe_?" Edward blushed - he really didn't want to know what the teenager's idea of a 'bribe' would be. Probably something involving whipped cream and bondage. At that though, Ed flushed even more deeply and redoubled his efforts at escaping.

"_No_, I don't need a bribe!" he cried. "I just need you to stop bugging me about this!" They had been at the front of the shop for at least half an hour, embroiled in this same argument. Both parties' nerves were beginning to fray, and the watching shopkeeper did nothing to help their tempers. Even the two women had grown bored of their disagreement and had wandered to a nearby boutique devoted to jewelry.

"Alright, look." Apparently the time for cuteness was over, because Envy had become dead serious. "If you get your ears pierced, you will look _totally hot_. Seriously. With that outfit, and some jewelry, any girl you want will be dragging after you with their tongues hanging out, trust me." He had a slightly pained look on his face as he said this. "It _won't_ hurt to get them pierced, and if you don't like it - which I doubt - you'll always be able to just take out the earrings and let your ears heal, naturally. The equipment they use here is totally sterile - I swear to God you won't get an infection unless you don't take care of them, okay?"

Ed raised an eyebrow. "That last part wasn't very comforting." he muttered, but he lessened his resistance. The persuasive words had swayed him slightly. It wouldn't hurt to just try it, right? And like Envy had said, he could always take out the earrings and let the piercings heal if he didn't like the way they made him look. (The prospect of girls swooning over him in the street was also appealing, although Edward wasn't sure exactly how serious Envy had been about that.)

He took a deep breath, and spoke before he could regret it. "Okay, I'll do it."

Envy clapped his hands and cheered as he presented Edward to the shopkeeper. Delightedly, he beckoned Sloth and Martel. "He's gonna do it!" he cried. "Help me pick out which earrings!"

Ed gulped. Now that he had made the decision, he prayed that he wouldn't end up regretting it. Reluctantly, he took a seat, eyeing the rows and rows of metallic studs and hoops that bedecked the walls. Envy had better pick a good one...

* * *

**A Note About the Food:**  
Every dish I mention in this chapter is actually a real food, although I'm not sure how authentically Japanese it would be. Kokoro is a real restaurant I went to last Friday, and I used its menu to select the choices. 'Bento' is a kind of Japanese "lunch box" - schoolchildren bring bento boxes to school packed with things like hijiki seaweed, stir-fried vegetables, fruit, and tamago (egg) along with a main dish such as shrimp or chicken. 'Unagi' is the Japanese word for eel; in this chapter, Envy's eel was cooked and marinated with a special sauce, probably teriyaki. Chirashi is a type of vinegared rice, and donburi is a Japanese rice bowl that is served with some kind of main dish (tuna, chicken, etc.) on top.

Review for a starving (or rather, sleep-deprived) artist!


	14. Forgive and Forget Not!

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Happy late Thanksgiving! I hope you all had nice meals with your family, or at least you had fun.

WARNING: I really need to stop putting all this crap up here. It's really troublesome to think of things to write, and, honestly. Do you still _really_ need to be warned? No, you don't. Exactly.

Songs: 'Beautiful Lie' by _30 Seconds to Mars_, 'People Ain't No Good' by _Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds_, and 'Never Too Late' by _Three Days Grace_

Congratulations to Clawdia for being my two-hundredth reviewer! Yay! Hurray! Cue confetti and popping balloons! Anyway, I have to say I'm a bit overwhelmed by the response to this story. I was totally _not_ expecting this many reviews so soon. Anyway, Clawdia will receive a free complimentary one-shot, courtesy of the author, when she presents her two-hundredth review coupon! Just kidding. But I will write her a story for any fandom and any subject (once again, providing I know a bit about the fandom.) And, once again, thanks so much to all of you wonderful reviewers, from me.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**  
_Forgive and Forget... Not!_

Ed twirled one of his earrings irritably. It had been over a week since he had gotten his ears pierced, at Envy's insistence, but he still hadn't gotten quite used to the round gold studs. It wasn't that they hurt, it was just... they weren't quite _him_. Then again, they were infinitely better than the spikey, barbed-wire accessory that Envy had chosen for his own ears. _That_ looked like it had been painful. He winced just thinking about it.

It had been tough explaining to Al and Winry about why the heck he decided to get a piercing, too. He would never forget Al's scandalized expression when he walked in after the shopping spree, wearing an entirely different wardrobe and with bold golden earrings. If his own brother was that surprised, he wondered how Russell would take his style change when he got back to Germany. But that wasn't the issue.

Sighing, he slumped down so that his chin was resting on his desk. Envy and Roy were late - later than usual, at least - and Edward was rapidly discovering the consequences of limiting himself to a single group of friends. Everyone in the whole room seemed to have a little clique they were part of, _except_ him. His eyes roamed around the room. There was Noah, laughing with Rose and a group of other girls. Kisuke, a tall boy Ed barely knew, was holding court in the back corner of the room, surrounded by his soccer-playing fellows.

Hm. In addition to Envy and Roy's conspicuous absence, the baseball players from his homeroom were also missing - Breda, some kid named Denny Brosh, and, surprisingly, Fuery. He wondered where they could be off to. Perhaps there was a varsity game today, and they were pulled out of school.

Suddenly, as if in answer to his questions, the door opened and the jocks crowded in, with the addition of Roy Mustang. Edward raised an eyebrow as Roy passed him. "Hey Roy, what's up? Where's Envy? Is he-"

The dark-haired teenager grinned at him and said absently, "Good morning." He ruffled Ed's hair in a friendly way before being swept off to sit amidst the ever-popular baseball team. Ed watched him go, feeling more than a little bit put out. A hello and a mussed up hairdo? Is that all he got? He frowned.

Roy and Envy _always_ came to school together. It was one of those unspoken rules of Central High, like 'Never give Nikuya-sensei a knife' and 'Always double-check the sushi when it's served in the cafeteria'. Even for the little time he had been in Japan, Ed had gotten used to his friends' show-offish sense of style - they would burst into the door simultaneously, exchange glances and grins, then proceed to their seats. It was more than a little disconcerting to see Roy arrive alone, inconspicuously, and without his best friend.

Maybe there was a reason for Envy's absence. He could be sick, or something. Maybe he skipped school, and called Roy to let him know. Ed prayed they hadn't gotten into an argument. Sure, they had been drifting apart for the past week or so - Roy had begun leaving their lunch table earlier to talk with the 'baseball boys' (Envy's not-so-respectful name for the group), and he had even ditched them altogether a few days ago, but...

He sighed as Marcoh-sensei entered the room. Hopefully, Envy was happily at home, or out with Sloth. Hopefully, everything was fine between him and Roy. Hopefully, Ed wouldn't have to see his two best friends have a fight.

---

"He _ditched _me!" Envy cried, slamming his tray down onto the cafeteria table. "That lying, no good prick _ditched_ me!" A miniature eruption of pickled vegetables showered the faux wood of the bench as he took his seat, glowering.

Edward watched his fuming friend. "Who ditched you?" he asked, although he had a sneaking suspicion he knew.

Growling, Envy thumped an elbow onto the table and rested his chin on his hand furiously. "Guess." he replied flatly. When neither Ed nor Ling chose to offer a reply, he huffed. "Roy _Mustang_. I was half an hour late for school because _I_ was waiting for _him_ to pick me up! And so I thought he was sick or something, but _nooo_. He's. Right. There!" He banged the table with every syllable to get his point across, then gestured violently at the dark haired teenager waiting in the lunch line.

Ling looked from him to Roy and back, nervously. "Maybe he... thought you were playing hooky?" the Chinese teen offered timidly. "Roy is a very busy person, you know, and-"

"_No_ he did not 'think I was playing hooky'!" Envy all but shouted. Ed shrunk down lower in his seat as nearly half of the students in the cafeteria turned and looked their way. "Whenever I ditch, I make sure to _call_ him first! I didn't call him! I barely even talked to him all fucking weekend!"

Ed winced. He would like to pass it all off as an overdramatic reaction, or a miscommunication between the two, but the odds were stacked against Roy. To ditch his best friend...! He looked around, trying to change the subject, or at least calm Envy somewhat. "I know you're mad, but I think you should be a little quieter." he told Envy. The subject of their conversation had just left the lunch line, and was heading their way with a loaded tray. "He's coming over here."

"I don't care!" Envy shouted, even louder than before. "If he tries to talk to me, _he_ will get a piece of _my_ mind!" He glared at his two companions, as if daring them to speak. They remained silent.

Roy approached affably, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air. "Hey, Envy." he said, smiling. "What's got you so riled up?"

"Excuse me?" Envy asked incredulously. "What's got _me_ all riled up?" He stood up so he was face to face with Roy. "_You_ ditched me this morning! I waited for half a fucking _hour_ for you to show up, and I was _late_!"

Looking nonplussed, the dark-haired teenager stepped back a bit. "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to apologize to you about that. I was with Havoc and-"

"Oh, with _Havoc_, were you? Gee, I feel so special! I'm _so _glad that you felt it would be okay to ditch me, your _best friend_, to go and mess around with some stupid jock who thinks hitting a _ball_ with a _bat_ is the epitome of coolness! You've been leaving _us_ and going off to sit with _them_ without saying a word! It's like you don't want to be _associated_ with us anymore! Are you too cool for us now, Roy? Are your baseball boyfriends so much more important than _I_ am?"

Roy glared. If he had been trying to keep calm before, he definitely gave up now. Envy had just crossed the line. "If you think that, then maybe they _should_ be more important. Listen, Envy, they're my friends too. Why do I always have to be _your_ babysitter, _your_ 'best friend'? _I _have a life too, and, no matter what you think, _you're_ not the center of it."

As Envy took a shocked step backwards, Ling looked between him and Roy, and then to Ed, who was transfixed by the drama unfolding in front of him. "Um... I'm going to go to the bathroom, or something." he said, quickly and inconspicuously sliding off the bench and hurrying away. Edward watched him go, then turned back to see Envy shove Roy, making him fall backwards and drop his tray. His lunch spattered all over the floor.

"All right, fine! Fine!" Envy was so angry it was terrifying. He looked as though he was barely holding himself back from punching Roy as he leaned over and practically spat in the teenager's face. "_Go_ back to your stupid jock posse! Ditch me! Ditch all of us! _Go _be Mr. Popularity!" He pointed at the Havoc and his friends, who were watching from the sidelines and obviously debating whether or not they should intervene. "Leave! See if _I_ care! I don't need you!" He turned on his heel, and grabbed Ed by the wrist. "C'mon, Edo. We're _leaving._"

As he was dragged towards the exit by a fuming Envy, Edward turned to look back at Roy. The teenager was still sprawled where he had fallen, with the tray askew on his lap. He had been surrounded by the jocks, and Havoc was helping him to his feet. He didn't look at the retreating Envy - it was as though he had already forgotten the fight.

---

The pair ended up at the front of the school near the parking lot. Envy's pacing had slowed to a walk, and he slumped dejectedly, releasing Edward's wrist. Ed massaged his hand, thankful that Envy had grabbed his prosthetic - otherwise, he would have been more than a little bit bruised.

"I can't believe I just did that." Envy moaned, flopping down and taking a seat on the curb. He wrapped his arms around his knees and hid his face. "Roy's really, really pissed now, isn't he?" Edward wasn't sure if Envy wanted an answer or not, so he remained silent. "I can't believe I got that angry. I'm never angry! I'm always supposed to be the one that looks on the bright side. I'm supposed to make the stupid jokes, and I'm supposed to make everyone feel better." He sighed. "But it's really hard to stay happy all the time."

Ed widened his eyes. Did Envy really feel that he _had_ to be that way? Was that why he always made a point of cracking stupid jokes, and laughing, and bouncing around? He took a seat next to his friend on the pavement.

"I didn't want to say all that." Envy continued, his voice muffled from his jacket. "I... I kinda lost control." He surreptitiously rubbed a sleeve over his face, and then looked over to Edward with liquid violet eyes. "Oh, who am I kidding. I _did _want to say all that. I wanted to let him know what a dick he's being. But I guess I could have done it differently." He gave a rueful laugh and flopped backwards, so that he was spread-eagled on the cold walkway, and closed his eyes against the diffuse, cloudy sunlight.

"Yeah, you really could have." Even though he wanted to comfort Envy, Ed couldn't help but agree with him. His reaction to Roy's simple absentmindedness had been way over the top.

The long-haired teenager gave no sign of having heard. "I don't even know _why _I was so angry." he continued slowly, as though he were sorting out his emotions for the first time. "I guess it's because Roy and I have always been best friends, you know? We've _always_ done everything together. He's like... he's like..." Envy lifted up his arm and examined his the back of his hand, shading his eyes from the light. "My partner, I guess. My comrade-in-arms. We're the dynamic duo, or something." He laughed bitterly.

Edward, absorbed by his revelations, leaned forward slightly. Envy grabbed him and pulled him down so they were lying next to each other, not touching, both staring at the cloudy sky. "I relied on him a lot, you know. Whenever I was having... problems... I could go to Roy and talk to him, and he'd help me work them out. I'd tell him everything. Hell, he probably knows more about me than I know about myself." He didn't elaborate on his 'problems', but Ed could guess - drugs, family, school...

The bell rang piercingly, and the blonde stood up. He waited for Envy to follow him, but the teenager remained where he was, simply sitting up again. "Don't go, please." Envy pleaded, snatching at his sleeve. "I need to talk."

Ed returned to his seat, biting his lip. He really needed to get moving if he wanted to make it to his next class in time, and he was certain that if he stayed to listen to Envy, he would end up ditching, possibly for the rest of the school day. But what could he do? Envy needed him, and it wasn't right to leave him. After all, the teenager had stuck up for _him_ when he was in trouble. "Keep talking, then." Ed replied evenly.

Silence. Envy had closed his eyes, his slight frown the only hint of his inner turmoil. Suddenly, he opened them again. "I was afraid." he confessed abruptly. "I'm still afraid." He massaged his temples with one hand. "I just... don't want him to leave." He looked as though he was about to cry.

Hesitantly, Edward scooted closer towards him and rested a hand on his shoulder. As if the simple touch had been all he was waiting for, Envy closed his eyes and bit his lip. A single tear ran down his cheek before he drew up his legs so that he was curled in a tight ball and rested his head in Ed's lap. The teenager started slightly, before forcing himself to relax. He shyly brought up a hand and stroked Envy's hair, trying to soothe him like his mother, Trisha, would have.

Envy's voice was nearly inaudible as he sobbed. "I just don't want to lose any more friends."

---

The next day, Edward went to school with a heavy heart. He had slept restlessly the previous night, caught up in a web of indecision. He was sure that Roy wouldn't just go and ditch his best friend with no good reason, like Envy thought he had. There had to be something else going on, something neither he nor Envy were able to see.

Homeroom, or at least Ed's side of the homeroom, was as quiet as a morgue, with the same gloomy atmosphere. Envy was notably absent, and Roy, instead of taking his usual position to Edward's left, was sequestered in the corner once again, chatting amiably with Breda and company. For a moment, he debated going over there and confronting the teenager, but thought better of it. An argument would just lead to more gossip, and, possibly, Roy's enmity. However much he hated being in the middle, he knew it would be wrong to take sides before he found out Roy's story. Deciding to talk to the dark-haired teenager after school, Ed cushioned his head on his arms and waited.

However, to his surprise, Roy sought him out first. The teenager found Edward during lunch, sitting alone once more - apparently Ling had opted to eat with Hughes instead of facing the tension of the cafeteria.

Ed looked up as the tall boy sat down gingerly. "How's it going, Ed?" he began, conscientious of the awkwardness of the situation. When Edward merely gazed at him steadily, he sighed, and slumped. "I've been a real bastard, haven't I?" he asked.

"Yeah, actually, you have." Ed replied, aware of the chilliness of his voice and not bothering to sound more friendly. "What's with you, anyway? You haven't been sitting with us like you usually do. You're being a bit _cold_, dontcha think?" He raised a sarcastic eyebrow, waiting for Roy to speak.

The teenager winced. "Yeah, I have, haven't I?" he replied unexpectedly. "I didn't mean to act all high-and-mighty or anything. You guys totally took it the wrong way."

"Then what were you doing?" Ed scoffed. "There really wasn't any other way to take it!"

Roy laughed. "I'm not sure whether to be pleased or annoyed that I'm so misunderstood." he quipped. At Edward's impatient look, sobered and he held up a mollifying hand. "To tell you the truth, I was just trying not to get in Envy's way."

"Huh?" Ed was more than a little confused at Roy's logic, or lack thereof. "How would you be in his way?"

The teenager grinned. "Oh, Ed, you're so cute when you're naive." Edward glared, which only caused his smile to widen. "Come on, don't tell me you don't know! Envy has, like, _the_ biggest crush on you!"

Ed was quick to refute him. "No, he doesn't." He didn't, right? Envy had practically told him that, verbatim, the day before. He said he always was the happy one, and that was why he cracked all those jokes. That was why he 'flirted' with Ed. It was only because that was the way he saw himself.

Rolling his eyes, Roy said, "Okay, so he doesn't have a crush on you. But I thought he had an _imaginary_ crush on you, and therefore I thought that it would be best to leave you two _imaginary_ lovebirds all by yourselves. That way, your _imaginary_ crush could turn into an _imaginary_ relationship, and you would be _imaginarily_ happy."

"Shut up!" Edward cried, blushing. "Is '_imaginarily_' even a word?"

"Probably not." Roy replied, shrugging. "But I needed to keep it up, to mock you."

"Shut _up_!" Regardless of his indignation, Edward couldn't help but appreciate Roy's sentiments. He had tried to be a thoughtful friend. He just went about doing it the wrong way. But there was still something strange... "Then why did you start hanging out with the baseball jocks? Why didn't you go to Hughes, or something, and make up a decent excuse?"

Roy smirked. "Well, I figured that since my friends were all having _imaginary_ sex with each other-"

"Shut up!"

"-that I might as well go take care of my own _imaginary _love life. I mean, you and Envy _imaginarily_ have each other, and Ling's _imaginarily_ got Ran Fan - you haven't met her yet - but ever since I broke up with Clara, I've _imaginarily_ had no one."

"Will you stop with that whole '_imaginarily_' thing?" Ed snapped.

"All right, all right, fine. But anyway, I decided to start hanging out with the baseball players. I know Havoc doesn't mind - I mean, when he finds out _why_ I'm always with him he'll probably be a little annoyed, and maybe a little freaked out too, but I'm sure he'll accept it in the end. It _is_ fate, after all."

Edward nodded absently, then performed a prize worthy double take. "Wait. Did you just say... _Havoc_?"

"Um... yes?"

Ed stared at his friend, surprised. He knew that Roy could be a little lenient where sexuality was concerned, and all those comments about Ed's looks weren't necessarily something a perfectly _straight_ man would feel comfortable saying, but for Roy to have fallen for Havoc...! He would have to tell Envy about this. Later, of course, when the teenager forgave Roy.

"But in all seriousness, Ed." the dark-haired teenager said, his voice solemn. "Can you tell me why Envy got so mad at me? Usually when we have a disagreement, we talk. Or he just lets it go, or something. I don't know if he was feeling a little bit more high-strung than usual, or..." He trailed off and looked at Edward helplessly.

The blonde fidgeted uncomfortably. He didn't want to inform Roy of everything that Envy had confessed to him yesterday - after all, some secrets shouldn't be told. But he needed Roy to understand what Envy was going through. Eventually, he decided to compromise. "Well, he thinks... he thinks you're replacing him." He held up a hand to forestall Roy's interruption. "I know, you're not, but that's what he _thinks_. And I can't change what he thinks. Only you can fix that." He paused. "Good luck."

* * *

I apologize for the sharp, downward turn this story has taken. Is it just me, or was there a buttload of angst in this chapter? But, hey. Did you actually expect them to be happy for the rest of the two months? I'm not sure if the action went to fast, or if there's too much emotion. I was kind of hurried writing this - I missed my deadline by a week - and I decided "Hey, I really need to get this whoreshow on the road." After all, it's been thirteen chapters and only for the month of January. But now they're halfway into February and knee-deep in misunderstandings! Yay! Don't worry, things will get much better in the next chapter.  
Anyway, review for a starving artist! 


	15. Look on the Bright Side!

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Oh man, you know you're an obsessive fangirl when you listen to 'Returnable Memories' and squeal _every single time_ Romi Paku does that thing where her voice kinda-sorta-almost cracks in a musical way. You know what I'm talking about? It's _so_ amazing. Go listen to it. Now.

WARNING: This warning has a capital W, so if anything happens to trouble you, just take out a dime, and reread this rhyme, and maybe leave some kind of love review. (-winces- That was a painful limerick.)

Songs: 'Stand in the Rain' by _Superchick_, 'Best Friends' by _Aqua_, and 'Glaring Dream' by _Bad Luck_

Last night I had a dream that I was the ruler of the British Empire, and I wanted to give money to the poorer colonies. But the people in England didn't want me to, because that would take money away from them. And that's why this chapter was late. I was busy fighting a legal battle with my ministers for the good of the Empire.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**  
_Look on the Bright Side!_

Edward Elric hated being in the middle. The middle of a story, for example - who cares what the hero does on his quest? All that matters is why the heck he's traveling, and whether the princess meets him and falls in love with him! And then there was the midpoint of a chess game. He had always been terrible at those, which was why he consistently lost when playing against Al, or Russell - his beginning moves would be amazing, but he would lose interest in the middle and, by the end, when he was focused again, he would have lost too many pieces and made too many stupid choices to triumph.

But the worst middle, in Ed's opinion, was the 'middle' that occurred between two (former) friends - the shaky neutral ground where, more often than not, he ended up. For some reason, _he_ always had to be the messenger, _he_ always had to get both sides of the story, _he_ had to be pressured to take sides or reconcile his friends, _he_ had to be careful not to show any favoritism at all.

And this time was no different. Sure, it happened in Japan, as opposed to Germany, and, sure, it was between two people he had known for less than a month. But that didn't make it any less awkward or any less frustrating - if anything, this middle was worse, because Roy hadn't really even _done_ anything and Envy seemed to be getting more and more depressed.

It was a pity they were both too proud for reconciliation, Edward reflected. It would have been so much easier if Roy had just apologized, or if Envy hadn't made such a big deal about every single minor offense. But _noooo_. Both of them had to go all macho, all of a sudden, and decide that the other was in the wrong. They both were, in Ed's opinion. But that didn't make seeing them pass each other in the halls, without even a glance, any easier.

Speaking of which...

"Good morning," Envy said listlessly, shuffling into class and carelessly dumping his bag on the floor. It capsized and nearly half his books slid under his desk, but he made no move to retrieve them. Instead, he slumped down and rested his forehead on his desk, letting his hair cascade so that it completely covered his face.

Edward watched him, slightly concerned. The teenager's behavior was very un-Envy-like, to say the least. For the past three days he had been sulky and depressed, answering all questions in a monotone and not speaking unless spoken to. Both Ed and Ling had been growing worried about his depression, and had debated telling Roy. Of course, if Envy found out, he would never forgive them.

"Hi..." he replied hesitantly, wondering whether he should pick up Envy's books for him. But a moment later, the long-haired teen had straightened up and was quickly shoving them all back into his bag.

"So, how's life been treating you, Edo?" he rambled, trying and failing miserably to look like his usual self. "I've been doing great. Karate was so fun yesterday! I mean, you didn't come which kinda sucked but still! A certain _stupid bastard_ skipped class, and so I got to talk with Martel, and Paninya, and Izumi-sensei, and I got to teach, too!" He bounced up and down forcedly in his seat. "Yeah, my life's absolutely wonderful, I'm having so much fun!" He trailed off, and sighed again.

Curious as to what had prompted Envy's strange outburst, Ed looked around, and then nearly groaned. Roy, Havoc, and their assorted companions had just sauntered into the room, joking and laughing amongst themselves. "You know," he said almost despairingly, having tried many times to convince Envy of this for the past few days, "you really don't have to pretend you're happy just to prove a point. Everyone knows you're not. And... I don't think Roy's too happy either." He cast a sidelong glance to the back of the room, where Roy was horsing around and occasionally casting surreptitious glances up at Envy.

"I don't care!" Envy hissed, smacking the desk with the palm of his hand. "I _am_ perfectly happy without him! I don't care about him any more! He can just go to hell and rot, for all I care! You hear that Roy?" He raised his voice a bit, but only slightly. "Screw you!" He slumped back onto his desk again, this time fuming. At least it was better than moping.

---

By the time lunch rolled around, nothing had changed, except the weather. Ominous storm clouds had rolled in from the east, and were continuing to gather in the area. Edward wondered if this was normal weather for southern Japan in February. Probably not.

He clutched his coat tighter around his shoulders and lengthened his stride to catch up with Envy. The long-haired teenager was taking huge steps, and the wind whipping greenish tendrils around his face gave him a nearly demonic aura, as did the billowing dark coat. Hopefully he wasn't still angry from homeroom.

"So, Envy," Ed said, trying to institute some kind of normal, human conversation. "Um... How was your day?" He smoothed and re-smoothed his errant bangs behind his ears.

Envy's only reply was a grunt: "Hn." He quickened his pace even more, and Edward began feeling a bit shut out. Not that he wanted to sound like a psychiatrist or anything - it was just that Envy's monosyllabic replies could easily be interpreted as blatant hostility.

"Ah... Uh... That's nice." He cast about for something else to say. "I, um, heard a couple of girls in Math talking about your band. What's it called again?"

A careless, one-shouldered shrug was his only response, and Envy sped up a bit more, nearly running. Edward did his best to catch the teenager, but soon fell behind. Why was Envy behaving with so much antagonism? Had he done something wrong? Was it because of the reprimand Ed had given him this morning?

But when he got to the cafeteria, Envy was at their usual spot, waiting. He had already unwrapped his sandwich (a surprisingly Western custom that Ed hadn't realized existed in Japan), and was proceeding to glare at it, not even pretending to look like he was eating. When Edward tentatively sat down across from the teenager, Envy began to speak. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly, without looking up from his food.

Ed glanced up, not sure what Envy was trying to ask. Apparently an answer wasn't needed, because the long-haired teen continued without pausing.

"Why is he _still_ not talking to me? Why do we just ignore each other in the halls like this? Why hasn't he come back to me?" Envy's words were accented by the noise of raindrops beginning to fall on the metallic roof of the lunchroom.

Luckily, any reply that Edward was expected to give was curtailed by the arrival of Ling, who, after three days of solitude with Maes Hughes, had decided to come out of hiding. "The rain's really starting to come down, isn't it?" he asked with a forced smile as he began to shovel his food with considerably less gusto as usual.

Ed nodded and tried to make polite conversation with him, but he was continuously distracted by the oddly silent Envy, who still hadn't moved to touch his lunch. The long-haired teenager was fiddling with his sleeves, pulling them to cover his hands completely then pushing them back up in annoyance, twisting them around his wrists. Suddenly, unexpectedly, he stood.

"Let's go, guys." he said, emotionlessly, sweeping his sandwich into the trash. Ling and Edward exchanged bewildered glances, but both got up to follow him.

The sound of pouring rain filled the room as Envy threw open the glass doors. The storm had grown stronger now and the ground was covered in rapidly growing, icy cold pools and streams. Ling hesitated at the doorway before following Ed and Envy, reluctant to set out while the rain was still dropping like bullets.

Eventually, all three of them stepped into the torrent. Edward was instantly soaked, his bangs plastered to his head and his permanently messy cowlick flattened. He shivered under the cold droplets and winced every time his feet splashed noisily in the puddles. His shoes and socks were soon drenched, and he worried about the state of his prosthetic limbs. They were metal, and they would get rusty if he didn't take care to keep them dry. (He knew this from painful experience.)

As they walked back across the parking lot, Ed heard the sound of laughing behind them. He turned with trepidation to see the person he had been expecting to see but hoping not to - Roy Mustang, with Havoc, Riza, and their friends. Sighing, Edward slogged through another large puddle just behind Ling. He could already tell that this wouldn't end well.

But, surprisingly, Envy and Roy seemed to be unaware of each other's presence. Envy, for his part, kept his head down. Roy continued to joke with Havoc, the rain streaming down his face making it look like he was crying.

Ed waited with baited breath as the larger, laughing group passed them, wanting to see what the two former best friends would do. But Envy kept his head down and it looked like he didn't even notice the noise. The blonde let out a sigh of relief, and hurried to catch up, trekking through the river that had formerly been the school parking lot.

The school grounds were nearly empty - most people were still sheltering in the cafeteria, dreading passing periods, or still in classrooms. Instead of going inside, as Edward had assumed they would do, Envy kept on trudging forwards, along with, surprisingly, the majority of the jocks. The long-haired, dripping teenager created huge sprays of water with every step.

Suddenly, one of Envy's splashes flew further than its predecessors, splattering Roy and company with a tsunami-worthy cascade. If they weren't soaked before, they were now. Roy looked shocked, Havoc looked affronted, Breda looked offended, Riza looked nonplussed, and Fuery looked like a kicked puppy. "What the fuck was that for?" the blonde baseball player cried, marching over to Envy angrily.

Envy straightened, surprised and a little indignant. "Excuse me?" he asked coldly. Edward's eyes widened, and he glanced at Ling, who was enthralled by the drama taking place before them. Either the teenager had absolutely no idea of what he had done was or he a master actor. Ed voted for the latter - he knew all about Envy's vindictive streak, and could swear he saw a little gleam of satisfaction in the boy's eyes.

Havoc huffed, looking lost. He was obviously wondering whether he should continue with the argument and risk looking like a bully and therefore losing face, or give up and try to soothe his injured pride as best he could. Edward winced at the tough choice and shuffled his feet, wishing that, whatever happened, they would be out of the freezing rain as soon as possible.

Finally, the baseball opened his mouth to speak. But whatever he would have said went unspoken, as yet another fountain of water splashed over the group. Yet, this time, it wasn't caused by Envy.

Roy stood in the middle of a huge puddle, grinning confidently. His hair was, for once, completely flat, dripping into his eyes, which were narrowed with much the same satisfaction as Envy's. His arms were crossed as he looked his former best friend directly in the eyes, and raised a dark eyebrow.

Envy growled. "What the _fuck_ was that for?" he asked, advancing on Roy. He slammed his foot down into the water and directed a splash at the smirking teenager, who did his best to dodge and retaliate.

Edward's eyes were torn away from the spectacle as Ling pulled on his sleeve, directing him to one of the sheltered alcoves. "They might be at this for a while," he said, smiling in the direction of the two boys. "We'd better get out of the rain before it drowns us."

They were joined in their impromptu sanctuary by Riza, Havoc, Breda, and Fuery. "They look like they've been itching to do this for a while," Breda commented, peeling his uniform shirt off from where it was plastered to his body and doing his best to wring it out.

"I suppose it's better than having a fistfight." Riza replied, unclipping her long flaxen hair and wringing it out. She shivered, and her boyfriend Havoc put his arm around her.

Ignoring their chatter in the background, Ed turned back to watch the water fight. Envy had tackled Roy, who was on his back in a puddle, doing his best to get back up while still defending himself from the long-haired teenager's relentless attacks.

Envy lifted up a foot to kick at the puddle and drench the dark-haired teen once more, but one of Roy's flailing legs caught him behind his other knee and he fell, rolling to minimize the damage so he landed in his back in the puddle next to Roy.

The two boys looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

Eventually, Roy got to his feet and held up a hand to help Envy. Both were soaked to the skin, and muddy - the puddle had been in the grassy area and their clothes had picked up nearly as much dirt as they had water. Edward strained to hear what they were saying to each other. (It wasn't eavesdropping - as a mutual friend, he had a _right_ to know. And he was curious.)

"Man, this whole thing was ridiculous." Roy was telling Envy, who hadn't stopped snickering. "I guess we got a bit carried away, huh?" He shook his head like a dog and drops splattered everywhere. It didn't do much use, given the fact that it was still raining.

"Which time?" Envy asked wryly as he put his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. When he straightened up he was serious again, although there was a new happiness in his face.

Roy smirked, and shrugged. Ed strained to hear his reply, but it was lost over the sound of the storm. As the two teenagers returned, their arms draped over each other's shoulders and Envy leaning on his friend for support, the blonde turned back to Ling, grinning.

The Chinese boy was looking at the sky, smiling a bit more widely than usual. "Is it just me," he asked, "or is the rain stopping?"

---

"You know, I feel kinda gay right now." Roy commented. He was sitting idly with his back to the wall, legs stretched out in front of him. Envy was nestled into his side, resting his head on the taller teenager's chest as he closed his eyes in bliss. Ed almost expected him to start purring at any minute.

"Shut up," he murmured as Roy absently stroked his hair. "You owe me."

Edward was sitting across the hall from the pair, feeling rather left out. It had only been two or so days since their 'water fight', and Roy and Envy already seemed closer than ever. It was nice not to be so stressed and caught in the middle of all the fighting, but Ed couldn't help feeling somewhat like a third wheel since the friends forgave each other. Although he refused to consider the implications, he couldn't help admitting to himself that he had enjoyed being the one that Envy came to for conversation and advice. Now that spot had been refilled by Roy.

He sighed as the dark-haired teenager stood, earning himself a whine of protest from his companion. "I'm gonna go catch Havoc before lunch is over." Roy said, looking at Envy as though he was asking for permission. The long-haired teenager gave a slight nod and Roy hurried away.

Envy yawned and scooted across the hallway, too lazy to bother standing up and walking. Ed started and widened his eyes as the teenager immediately laid down and flopped his head onto the blonde's thigh, curling up and closing his eyes. "Um... hello..." he said awkwardly, blushing slightly.

"Mmph."

"Uh... Are you planning to get up any time soon?" When Envy's only reply was to shut his eyes and curl up further, Edward sighed and shrugged, then used the teenager's head as a sort-of desk where he rested his chemistry homework. If he ignored the fact that Envy's head was practically in his lap and a hand was absently running up and down his leg, it was a nice arrangement. Deciding that oxidation-reduction reactions were absolutely ridiculous, he shut his binder.

"Roy told me he was always hanging out with Havoc because he wanted to 'work on his love life'." Ed commented. Then he paused. "Um..." He wasn't sure how to phrase his question.

"Yes?" Envy mumbled, drawing some kind of swirly pattern on Edward's shin with a finger.

"Uh... I mean... Ah... Will you _stop _that?" The long-haired teenager, who had been trying to tickle Ed's non-prosthetic foot, stopped guiltily. "What I _meant_ was: Does that mean Roy's gay?"

Envy snorted and gave up all pretense of sleepiness. He burst out laughing loudly, and sat up, gasping with mirth. "Roy... g-gay?" he stammered between sniggers. "Gay... haha... oh man..." His talking subsided into cackling (how creepy, Ed thought) sprinkled with interjections like "gay", "Roy", and "I can't believe it".

At length, Edward grew tired of his companion's hysterics. He gave the giggling teenager a glare. "What's so funny?"

"Heheheh... oh, wow." Wiping his eyes, Envy straightened, still grinning like a maniac. "Okay, sorry about that." He took several deep breaths. "Let me explain something to you." He leaned forward, and speared Ed with one of the most serious looks he had ever seen the teenager give. "Roy is the Hiro to my Shuichi. He's the Kiba to my Naruto. The Joey to my Yuugi." He paused and leaned back, tapping his chin for more examples. "The... Miroku to my Inuyasha. The Knuckles to my Sonic. The Kisame to my Itachi! Hey, that's a _good_ one. ...I wonder what Roy would look like if he was a shark-man... Like Greed, I guess; really sharp teeth, 'cept he would have blue skin..." At Edward's look, Envy coughed. "What I'm trying to say is that _Roy_ _Mustang_ is the straightest man on the face of the earth."

The bell rang and the long-haired teenager stood, sticking out a hand to help Ed up after him. "_You_, on the other hand, are the Bakura to my Yuugi. The Kagome to my Inuyasha. The Amy to my Sonic (kinda...). The Sasuke to my Naruto. Well, I suppose you _could_ be the Sakura to my Naruto, which would technically be more authentic, but... Hm. You're the Deidara-slash-Sasuke-slash-Hinata-slash-Kakashi-slash-Sakrua-slash-any damn character to my Itachi." He draped an arm around Edward's shoulder and leaned on him heavily as they walked down the halls.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Edward asked, wondering if he was supposed to know what the fuck Envy was rambling on about. He was definitely naming people, but Ed had never heard of most of them before (aside from Hiro and Shuichi, which he thought came from that one manga Envy had lent him a while ago). Maybe they were all characters from a book, or historical Japanese figures, or something.

"It means, my darling pipsqueak, that I shan't tell you." Grinning widely, the teenager nimbly disengaged his arm from around Ed's shoulder, flicked the boy's cowlick, and took off running down the halls.

---

"But if Roy's not gay," Edward asked, panting, "then how will he find a love life by hanging out with _Havoc_?" He was sprawled in a corner by the Dean's office, Envy stretched out next to him. Both of them were winded and laughing from their chase through the school - Ed screaming something along the lines of "WHO ARE YOU CALLING BEAN-SIZED, YOU BRAINLESS BOTANICAL BUFOON!!" and Envy dashing away while complimenting him on his alliteration.

Envy slumped further and furrowed his brow in thought. "I don't know. He's seriously _not gay_, trust me, so... Maybe he thinks being popular with Havoc will help him pick up girls. Maybe..." He paused.

When the teenager was silent for more than a minute, Edward looked at him and opened his mouth to speak. Envy cut him off.

"_Riza_!" he cried, jumping to his feet, a look of delighted revelation on his face. "Riza Hawkeye!"

Edward was at a loss. "Huh?" he asked intelligently, still sprawled on the floor and looking up at Envy uncomprehendingly. The long-haired teenager admonished him with a 'tsk'-ing noise and a shaken finger.

"Edo, Edo, _chibi_," he said, shaking his head sadly. "And here I thought you were a _genius_." He sighed and made a face. "I am ashamed to know you."

The blonde would have stamped his foot, if he was standing. He satisfied himself with banging a fist against the floor impatiently. "Will you _stop_ that?" he asked Envy for the second time that day. "_What_ did you just realize? And what the heck does _Riza_ have to do with anything?"

If possible, Envy's grin grew even wider as he bent down to whisper to Ed. "I can't believe we never thought of it before." he said conversationally, then leaned forward until he was nearly straddling the boy. "_Roy is in love with Riza Hawkeye_!" he breathed, then sat back triumphantly. "Don't you see it? Isn't it obvious, now you know? Doesn't everything make _sense_?" He was nearly yelling, his fist raised jubilantly in the air.

Suddenly, the door to the Dean's office opened and Falman-sensei stepped out and gave the pair a blank look. "What are you _doing_, Envy?" he asked. The long-haired teenager was practically in Edward's lap, grinning delightedly and looking as if he had just won some kind of competition.

Blushing furiously, Ed pushed the gangly boy off of him and stood up, bowing and stammering from embarrassment. "I... we... well..." he began, not knowing what to say. He had only just realized what an awkward position they had been in - for some reason, Envy was being more touchy-feely than usual.

Envy stood, indignant from being shoved away so disrespectfully, and saluted, still smiling, to Falman. "We were just getting to class!" he chirped, then grabbed Ed's hand and began to make his escape before they could be punished. "Have a nice day, Falman-sensei!" he called back over his shoulder.

The dean rolled his eyes and returned to his desk. "Kids these days..." he muttered, shaking his head.

* * *

Fifteen chapters and the first scene where Ed and Envy are in an awkward position... I think. I'm proud of myself for resisting temptation so long. And, wow, I used the word 'touchy-feely'. -laughs-  
If you want to know why the heck it took so long for me to update, you _obviously_ didn't read the author's note at the beginning. Go back and see; I'm not explaining again. -smiles- Anyway, lots of manga references in this chapter. I tried to use mainstream Japanese-ish stuff (pardon my Sonic the Hedgehog reference), so most of the names if not all should be familiar.

I probably won't get around to updating again, so I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and also to urge you to check out my Christmas one shot that _will_ be published by the big day. I might have to put it up on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth, but I'll try not to be late. And, heh, wish me luck on my finals! I'm supposed to be studying now. -makes face-  
Review, please, for a freezing lazybutt artist who's tired of listening to her brother impersonating an opera singer in the shower!


	16. of Pick Ups and Hookups

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Believe it!

WARNING: Believe it!

Songs: 'Kiss Kiss' by _Chris Brown_, 'Blind Game Again', _Bad Luck_, and 'Easy Tonight' by _Five for Fighting_

Ah, the Super Bowl. A delightful American footballing tradition. I'm staying up in my room to get this all typed so I won't be tempted by all the crappy junk food snacks, and so I won't get fat. I think that should be everyone's priority. (What am I saying? I don't even know any more.) Anyway, sorry that this is late - again - I was busy with "skool" and driver's ed and all that nasty junk you get into when you're fifteen-going-on-sixteen (a.k.a. education and Star Wars computer games). Hopefully this chapter is up to your expectations. (In other words, hopefully you've lowered them. Ha. Ha.)

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**  
_of Pick-Ups and Hook-Ups_

"Now, a back stance is one of the harder stances in karate," Roy explained slowly. He stepped forward with one foot, leaving both legs in an l-shape - the front leg pointing forward with the back leg positioned at a right angle to it. "Make sure your weight is distributed sixty-forty: forty percent on the front leg and sixty percent on the back. It gives you more stability; the back stance is, in addition to being difficult to master, one of the best for balancing."

Edward copied his teacher and fell into a near-perfect stance. "I know," he replied, trying to be patient. "Martel taught me last week." Just to prove he could do it, he stepped forward while remaining in his back stance and executed a knife-hand strike.

Roy had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I guess I am a bit of a slow teacher, aren't I?"

The blonde nodded fervently, sneaking a sidelong glance to the rest of the class, now immersed in forms. He wished he was good enough to join them - a week ago Izumi-sensei, after taking one look at his blocking, refused to even let him do the basic warm-up. Even now, he was stuck off to the sidelines, learning the same old techniques over and over again from Roy Mustang, who always seemed to forget what they had worked on the week before.

"Well, that's all right. I always figured information takes a long time to sink into that small head of yours."

Ed blinked, slid out of his back stance to stand upright, and blinked again. "Wait..." he said, running Roy's words through his mind again. "WHO ARE YOU CAL-" His tirade was cut short abruptly by a hand covering his mouth.

"Shh!" Roy hissed desperately into his ear. "Don't disrupt the class or Izumi-sensei will kill you!" Once he was sure that Edward would remain quiet, he removed his hand, shaking it and wiping it disgustedly on his gi. "You _licked_ it!" He made a face.

"Your fault." Edward muttered sulkily, a bit miffed at being insulted so unexpectedly. His next words were grumbled even more quietly. "Maybe if you taught me faster..."

Roy cupped a hand around his ear, leaning in closer. "What was that you said?" he asked, raising his voice sarcastically. "I couldn't quite catch that. Would you mind looking up when you talk to me? I have a hard time hearing _short_ people."

"Why you-"

Their bickering was brought to a sudden halt by Izumi-sensei, who clapped her hands twice to bring the class to order. The two looked up guiltily, and Roy shoved Edward into the quickly forming line before running up to resume his place at the front.

When the entire group was facing her in a respectful silence, the teacher cleared her throat. "I know many of you have been expecting this, and I have actually told some of you my plans, but today I'm making the formal announcement, both because we have gained some new students" - through his bewilderment Ed could swear she shot a glance straight at him - "and because I welcome each and every one of you to help in the planning process."

"Uh," Envy asked reluctantly, raising a timid hand. "What planning process?"

Izumi-sensei gave him an exasperated look. "The planning for the _tournament_, of course." she replied acidly, and the light of comprehension dawned on the faces of most of the class. Ed and a few other white belts were still in the dark.

The hulking blonde next to him, whose name, Edward had found out from Roy, was Loa, raised a hand. "What tournament?" he asked, his deep voice rumbling in his chest.

For a second, the dreadlocked teacher's glare was horrible. Then, suddenly, she blinked and smiled. "Oh, that's right," she said, gesturing to the row of lower-ranked students. "You all are new here."

A cough sounded from the head of the class, sounding suspiciously like Envy's smothered laughter. Izumi-sensei ignored it, choosing instead to turn so that she was facing Edward and his classmates. "Every year, as most of you know, Central High hosts a spring festival near the end of March. And every year, our karate group is invited perform." She paused for a moment, as though planning what she was going to say, then continued. "We usually do demonstrations like synchronized kata (forms), weapon work, and sparring to music, and at the end, for the finale, we have board and brick-breaking demonstration."

A murmur of awe rippled through the lower ranks.

"Our stage is set up so that it can comfortably fit four rows of five people each, with stands set up in front of them to hold the boards or bricks. In the front will be our more advanced students, while the white belts are in back - we try to get everyone involved. However, I don't think simultaneous board-breaking will impress many people, so I'm looking for suggestions. Any of you are welcome to come up and offer me your suggestions once we're finished here. During class tomorrow, I will talk with each of you individually and get a feel for what you are planning to do." Once she finished her explanation, Izumi-sensei looked up at the clock on the wall. "And time's up." She clapped her hands and the class bowed in unison.

"Remember," Izumi called as she exited the dojo, "I'll be waiting outside for your suggestions. Make them good!" As she left, Roy clapped his hands and the class bowed again before following her lead.

Edward took his time in walking to the locker rooms, waiting for Envy to catch up with him. When the greenish-haired teen finally pushed through the crowd to drape an arm around his shoulders, he asked, "What are you going to do for the tournament?"

Envy shrugged noncommittally. "Something, I dunno," he replied dully. Then, just as suddenly as it had arrived, the warm weight of his arm left Ed's back and he was gone.

Blinking in surprise, the blonde looked around for Envy, but he had disappeared. Deciding that the teenager would show up again on his own time, he continued to the locker room, more than slightly bewildered. Maybe the taller teenager had some kind of suggestion for Izumi-sensei - but why wouldn't he have taken Ed with him? Maybe there was some kind of black belt meeting after class, or something. That was more logical.

---

Envy still had not entered the locker room by the time Edward was finished changing. Although he was relieved not to have a horny palm tree breathing down his neck, he was also a little bit disconcerted. Envy's eye-raping was one of the consistent things about his karate class.

When he exited the cramped, sweaty room, clad in jeans and a long sleeved shirt, Roy and Envy were huddled with Izumi-sensei in a corner. Deciding not to intrude, Ed glanced around the room to see if there was anyone else he could hang out with while he was waiting for them to finish. Martel was chatting with the brown-belt Paninya near the water fountain, and he ambled over to them.

"She's so cool!" Martel was gushing to the dark-skinned girl. "I mean, she has this totally unique fashion sense and she doesn't care what anyone else says! It's like, the greatest thing ever! And she's so nice, too; she's the sweetest person I've ever met!"

Ed coughed, and the conversation immediately stopped. Martel blushed as she made room for Edward to join them, and Paninya smiled. "I noticed you have prosthetics, Ed!" she said brightly. "I've been wanting to talk with you about them, but Envy hasn't given us a chance." She gave a little laugh. "So you're his new boy toy?"

Martel grimaced and punched her arm. "Don't call him that!" she hissed as Paninya rubbed her arm and gave her a wounded look.

Raising an eyebrow, Edward gave the duo a look. Quickly, Paninya clasped her hands behind her back and continued their previous conversation. "_Anyway_," she shot a pointed glance at Martel, "I was just wondering who worked on your prosthetics. Mine were made by a guy named Dominic." She bent down to roll up both legs of her jeans and reveal two gleaming, metal legs and feet. "He's really great - he made me these for free, because my family's kinda poor. So I'm working at his shop on weekends to pay back everything I owe him!"

Bending down, Ed reached out a finger to trace the gleaming titanium lines. "Wow, this is really great," he breathed. Compared to his own shabby prosthetics, in fact, Paninya's replacement legs were heavenly.

"Yeah," the girl replied, kicking off one of her shoes so he could get a better look. "I heard that your host, Pinako-san, is working to make better ones, though. Did you know that she and Dominic knew each other when they were in college?" As she spoke, she clenched her metal toes and then extended them to show off the interplay of gears and pulleys.

"Is that so?"

Paninya nodded. "But I'm not sure if they were just friends or, you know..." She grinned, and Martel punched her again, this time lightly, muttering, "_You're_ a pervert".

Edward twitched. Even from the short time he had known her, the idea of _Granny Pinako_ having an affair with- with anyone made his blood grow cold. "Blech." he muttered, before straightening and offering a hand for the girl to shake. "Thanks for showing me your legs, Paninya," he said.

"Oh, no problem," Paninya smiled. "Call me Bunny, though; everyone does."

"All right, thanks for showing me your legs, Bunny," he reiterated, grinning.

"Woah," came a lecherous voice from behind him. "Who's showing off their legs here? And why didn't they invite me?" Edward jumped and whirled around, to come face to face with Roy Mustang and Envy, close behind him.

The blonde smacked his forehead. "Oh, it's you."

Roy pouted. "What kind of greeting is that?"

"The kind you deserve."

"You're not still mad at me about the short jokes, are you?" Roy asked, looking hurt. "Because, you know, I put a lot of _effort_ into them. I'm so skilled - I should be a comedian. I mean, it's hard to make the joke _small_ enough so that you're able to understand." Edward clenched his fists and fumed, and Roy looked down at him pointedly. "Pipsqueak."

Ed exploded. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT EVEN SHORT JOKES ARE OVER HIS HEAD?!" he yelled, lunging at Roy with every intent to beat him to the ground. He was restrained, however, by three pairs of arms - Martel's, Paninya's, and Envy's. The three dragged him away while Roy, who had stumbled and fallen down in surprise, brushed himself off and winked. Edward growled.

"Calm down, Eddi," Martel said in a bored tone of voice. "It's not like he _killed_ you."

Sulking, Edward crossed his arms and let his three friends support his entire body. If they wouldn't stick up for him against Roy, he wasn't going to help them restrain him (not that he would have, anyway). "Why didn't you let me beat him up?"

Envy gave an exasperated sigh and dropped him. The two girls quickly mimicked his actions, and Ed was left to scramble gracelessly to his feet. When he regained his balance, he was met by yet another indignity as the long-haired teenager ruffled his hair affectionately. "Don't be so sensitive, chibi."

"Whatever." Ed grumbled as Envy grabbed his wrist and towed him out to the car. Roy followed with Martel, who was saying goodbye to Paninya.

"Yeah, try to talk your mom into letting you come with us," the blonde said, hugging the girl.

Paninya laughed. "Like she'd let me! You know how protective she is. I'm lucky I can even go to karate every other class!" She waved to the departing Martel and then called, "Bye, Ed!" Edward waved with his free hand while Envy sped up.

"Why don't you like Paninya?" he asked the greenish-haired teen as Envy dug the car keys out of his pocket and unlocked the sleek, black Honda. His only reply was a grunt. "Whatever, then. It's your problem, not mine."

---

Edward had never been in Envy's car before. In fact, he hadn't even known that the teenager possessed a car - he had been under the impression that Envy didn't even have his driver's license yet. But here it was, a shiny black Honda with nicely tanned leather seats, able to fit five people. He patted the cool leather next to him, feeling its smooth texture. _Nice_.

"So, Martel, I'm taking you home, right?" Envy asked, turning from the driver's seat to glance at the blonde.

"I suppose," she replied, giving a nonchalant half-shrug. "It doesn't really matter; my parents don't expect me home for another hour or two."

"Roy?"

"Home. Whenever."

"Rightio," Envy replied, putting the car into reverse and pulling out of his parking space. Ed noticed that the teenager hadn't asked him where he was going, and wondered why. Had Envy simply forgotten that he was in the car? Or was it for something more sinister than that...

He shook his head and almost grinned at the ridiculous conspiracy theories running through his head. Envy had just been an idiot, as usual, and had forgotten to ask one person where they were going. He had probably just assumed that Ed was headed home, because, after all, he didn't have any _other_ friends to hang out with.

When that was settled, Edward began trying to hear what Roy and Envy were talking about in the front seat, over the high-pitched J-rock blasting over the speakers. (It was probably Gackt again.) He leaned forward a bit to eavesdrop.

"...but I don't think it'll work," Envy was telling Roy worriedly. Ed wondered what Envy even had to be worried _about_.

"Sure... even though... serious..." 'Even though' what? Who was serious?

"Yeah, except he... think... for real." So they were discussing a person, Edward concluded, and this person thought something or someone was or was not for real. And Envy was worried about whatever that person thought. Could it be... Hughes? Ling? Maybe Havoc?

"Oh come on. Just-" The rest of Roy's sentence was cut short by a particularly loud and obnoxious guitar solo, and Ed grimaced in frustration. What was the use of eavesdropping when stupid _Gackt_ kept messing him up?

Martel leaned over to talk to him. "You know, Eddi," she advised, "it's not gonna get any clearer no matter how much you lean forward."

The blonde jumped at her intrusion into his personal space, and leaned back guiltily. "What are you talking about?" he asked, injecting patently false innocence into his tone. "I was just, uh, trying to hear the music better. You know..."

Snorting, the girl returned to her side of the backseat. "Whatever, Eddi." she replied. "But did you ever think that maybe Envy doesn't _want_ you to hear what they're talking about?"

---

The long-haired teenager dropped of Martel first, and then took Roy back to his house. When the taller boy was exiting the car, he took a moment to lean forward and whisper something in Envy's ear. Edward, suitably chastened by Martel's earlier remark, made no effort to overhear. But he couldn't help catching the words "good luck" and "worth it". Confused, he glanced at Envy's white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. Roy was advising Envy to do something, presumably, which he was worried about. Interesting...

But he didn't want to confront the teenager about anything he had heard while listening in on the conversation. Of course, Martel was right - it was none of his business anyway. Sighing, Ed turned to the window and rested his forehead against the cool glass, waiting for Envy to begin a conversation.

When the awkward silence stretched on and on, it became apparent that the greenish-haired teen had no intention of being the first one to talk. Edward fidgeted slightly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat and feeling oppressed by the abnormal quiet of the car. Envy must be feeling really worried, he thought. Finally, nearly involuntarily, he spoke. "Um, Envy, is there something wrong?"

Envy started from the front seat, looking as though he had just been roused out of deep contemplation. He laughed. "Nuh uh, nothing wrong, Edo. Sorry; I was just thinking." He smiled, catching Ed's eye through the rear view mirror. "Uh, so, did you have fun at karate tonight? What did you think of Izumi-sensei's announcement? Betcha weren't expecting that, huh?"

Now that his silence had been pointed out, Envy seemed determined to keep up a constant flow of conversation, no matter how forced the topics were. And Ed was happy to oblige him, replying to each and every question and keeping up the chatter. In what seemed like no time, the car came to a smooth stop. (Envy was a surprisingly good driver; more conscientious than Roy and much more careful than Gracia.)

Preparing to exit, Ed glanced outside the car for the first time - only to be confronted with a garish red neon sign instead of the comforting facade of his temporary home. "Uh, Envy? This isn't Pinako-san's place."

Turning around, the teenager swallowed before replying confidently. "I know that."

Edward, puzzled and slightly apprehensive, looked back at the neon sign, trying to decipher the bright, blinking characters. _Ba - chi - a - re_. He paused, before glancing back at Envy, not failing to notice his slowly widening grin. "That's not Japanese, is it?"

"Nope. Italian. I wanted to try something new, chibi."

"Something... new?"

"Yeah," Envy answered. "I got tired of Japanese food, and I got tired of people interrupting us when I only wanted to talk to _you_." He paused, obviously waiting for the blonde's reaction.

As the words slowly trickled through his understanding, a blush grew involuntarily on Edward's face. _I got tired of people interrupting us_, he repeated mentally, _when I only wanted to talk to you_. So what was this? A one-on-one interrogation? A... a _date_?

Before he realized what was happening, Envy had already left the car and was holding his door open, gesturing for Ed to exit. "Ladies first," he murmured with a smirk. Edward was too overwhelmed to be insulted. A date? With Envy? What was going on?

* * *

Ohmigawd, I am such a bad person. Just leaving it there, like that, with a cliff hanger. A date! An actual date! To tell the truth, I had no idea that would happen when I wrote the chapter. Anyway, since that ending isn't going to satisfy anyone, I urge you to read my two newest one-shots - Good Tidings, my Christmas fic, and Beautiful Lie, my one-shot in honor of _Clawdia_, my two-hundredth reviewer. They're both EdxEnvy and they're (obviously) both from FMA. So leave a review here and go check those out and review, too!

See you next time, with -gasp- **the date.**


	17. Valentine's Day Special Order!

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** I'm not gonna lie; I absolutely love this chapter title.

WARNING: This chapter is really long, I'm sorry. And a lot of unexpected stuff happens. Once again, I'm sorry. I didn't even expect half the stuff that Envy or Ed did... or anyone else, for that matter. Hope you enjoy, regardless!

Songs: 'Little Wonders' by _Rob Thomas_, 'Tell Me Something Good' by _The Rocket Summer_

At first, I was extremely phobic about this chapter. 'How am I going to write a date scene?' I wondered. 'Why did I even get myself into this?' But I thought, and thought, and thought, and around six o'clock Saturday night a coherent outline began to form and I started typing. Of course, I changed the whole thing around on Sunday, although I did end up revealing what I planned to reveal, and more than that besides. I suppose I still haven't learned any lessons about making plans and sticking to them but, hey, that's part of the fun in life! And, I actually had a great time writing this, regardless of the fact that I finished it at one-thirty Sunday night (or morning) while I was supposed to be doing my English homework. I think this might be my favorite chapter so far.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**  
_Valentine's Day Special Order!_

To Edward, time was a flexible notion at best. Yet he could swear that he and Envy had been sitting here awkwardly, silently, for the better part of twenty minutes. Given the fact that the server hadn't yet shown up to take their drink orders, it was probably more like two. He breathed in the scent of tomato sauce and fresh-baked bread as he fidgeted, lacing and unlacing his fingers and tapping his foot against the leg of his chair. For his part, Envy was only slightly more composed, flicking the plastic cover of the menu and twisting a strand of silky green hair around finger.

Finally, the blonde coughed. "So..." he began hesitantly, as Envy started and looked up guiltily. "Um. What are you going to order?"

Looking delighted - once again - that Edward had offered him a safe topic of conversation, Envy smiled and relaxed a bit. I don't know," he replied, scanning the menu with a slightly manic air. "Uh... spaghetti. With meatballs." He glanced up for approval then asked, "How about you, Edo?"

Ed shrugged. He had already looked through the entire menu, and none of the choices had particularly jumped out at him. It didn't help that he had just spent an entire hour and a half exercising, either; he was usually less hungry after a workout than he was going in. "I'm not sure. Ah... do you have any suggestions?"

The long-haired teenager flipped through his menu once again with renewed nervousness, tapping a few options before picking one. "Chicken parmesan. Definitely. It's, like, chicken fried in batter and then covered with tomato sauce and cheese and stuff. And it, uh, comes with pasta, too." He grinned, and it looked a little forced. "You'd like it, trust me."

Nodding, Edward shut the leather-backed menu. "Well, that's that, I guess," he said, not sure what to say next. "Yeah... I'm... really looking forward to, uh, trying the chicken." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. What had he even been trying to say? He sounded like he was desperate to find a topic of conversation or to get the hell away from the restaurant. The first one was true, the second wasn't.

Envy gave a strained laugh, then placed his hand on the table, palm down. The small noise it made startled Ed, who jumped. "Look," the teenager said, sounding solemn and surprisingly like Roy. "If you don't want to be here, just say the word and we can leave. I just wanted... to talk with you. For a little bit. But if you need to get home, I understand."

"No!" Ed replied hastily - too hastily - and Envy blinked, looking slightly surprised. "I-I mean, I was just curious. Why me? Why didn't you take Martel, if you wanted to, um, talk?" He knew that the he probably wasn't asking the most polite question, but he was curious. He wanted to know what Envy thought of him, to open a window into the teenager's inscrutable actions.

"Because," Envy replied frankly, "you've seen me be serious three times. Four, now. I don't think anyone else besides you, Roy, and Ling even know I _have_ a serious side."

Right. That was a _very _satisfying answer; just what he wanted to hear. The blonde stifled his frustration at Envy's enigmatic reply, and bit his lip. "Oh." Did his answer mean that Envy thought of him as being just a friend, the same way he thought of Roy and Ling? Or was it supposed to mean something entirely different? He clenched his fists in his jacket pockets and returned to kicking the legs of his chair.

Finally, the perky brunette waitress appeared at their table. "Hello!" she said cheerfully. "Sorry about the wait. It's been really busy for a Thursday night since, you know, it's Valentine's Day." She smiled, apparently failing to notice the stunned look on Edward's face and the smug expression on Envy's. "Anyway, what can I get you? Might as well order your food now, too, if you're ready, so you won't have to wait as long."

"I'll have the spaghetti with meatballs and a Coke," Envy said, and then, seeing as Ed was in no fit state to order, spoke for him. "And he'll take the chicken parmesan and... uh... some breadsticks and... Coke, too."

"I can't believe I forgot it was Valentine's Day!" Ed cried once she had gone, realizing that he was probably blushing furiously.

"I can't believe you did either," his companion murmured, grabbing the blonde's menu and placing it at the edge of the table with his. "Does that change anything?" he asked louder, so Edward was able to hear.

Ed gulped. "Uh..." Desperately, he tried to cool the blush from his cheeks. "Uh, no, not really. Um."

For the first time that night, Envy laughed freely, and Edward felt himself relaxing. Regardless of the fact that it was Valentine's Day, already - whatever had happened to the past month and a half? - he might as well enjoy being with Envy (alone!) while he had the chance. Even if it wasn't a date. Even if it was.

"Oh!" the teenager exclaimed as he finished laughing. "I've wanted to ask you forever. What's it like in Germany?" He leaned forward eagerly to hear Ed's answer. "I've never been to a different country before."

Edward couldn't hold back a laugh. "Well," he said grinning, "It's, um... different?"

"I know _that_."

"Okay, okay. The food is, uh, fishier here, obviously," Ed began, casting about for something deeper than the more obvious differences like language or location. "And people in Japan are more courteous, actually. Well, most of them, anyway. In Germany, I guess we're more direct; we care less about tact and more about getting our point across. The school system is pretty similar, with exams and all that, uh, there aren't cram classes afterwards." He shrugged. "I mean, obviously a lot of things are different, but I guess people are really the same no matter where you go."

Envy rested his chin on his hand and gazed steadily at Edward, looking interested. The blonde, flustered, stammered for something else to say. "Uh, well, actually, the people here are, you know, cooler, I guess; I have a lot more friends now." He knew he was blushing, and the fact made him blush more. "I mean, in Germany there was Russell and he's sort of a friend but we always get into fights and he always gets me into trouble. And Alfons, I suppose; he's really nice."

"Alfons?" the long-haired teenager asked, cocking his head to the side. "Is he hot?"

Ed felt his blush return tenfold. "Well, he's not hot but lots of girls do like him... I guess he's, um, cute?"

"Do you like him?"

"No! No, EW, no!" Edward cried, making gagging motions. "He has the same name as Al! He even _looks_ like Al! Dating him would be like dating my brother!" He shuddered.

"All right, all right." Envy held up his hands in a gesture of defense, laughing slightly. "Calm down, Edo, I was just joking." He gave a slight grin and Ed couldn't resist grinning back. "Anyway, did you have any other friends back there?"

The blonde thought for a moment. "Um. There's Ruby, but she's mostly Al's friend - I think she has a little crush on him. And then Olivier Armstrong, one of my teachers, sometimes comes to our house to help out when our dad is off being a scientist." He made a wry face. "Come to think of it, I think she might be related to Armstrong-sensei."

Envy stuck out his tongue. "I _hate_ that man," he replied vehemently, clenching a fist. "One day I swear I will get revenge on all the times he's sent me to the dean's office. And Falman is going to help me." He grinned, probably imagining gruesome plans for vengeance, and then shrugged. "So, I guess you like Japan better than Germany, huh?"

"Hell yeah!" Edward replied honestly. "I mean, Pinako-san is really cool and she actually knows something about prosthetics and automail, and Winry's great. And then the teachers here are all really weird, but they're way cooler than the ones at home. And even though Clara was a bitch, she's gone now and most of the people that go to school are cool. And then there's Ling and Roy and... you..." His voice trailed off as Envy leaned closer.

"Then," the teenager began, his voice so low that Ed had to lean in close to hear it, "why don't you stay?" He leaned back and said, louder, "Think about it."

Before Edward could even begin to think of a reply, a tall, black-haired woman waltzed up to their table, followed by a short, enormously obese bald man. "Envy," the woman said without preamble, her voice rich and melodious. "Come here. I've got some bad news."

Envy blanched and his face grew grim, but he stayed put. "If you have news, Lust, Ed can hear it too."

The woman - Lust, another sin - gave Edward a dismissive glance, and sighed, flipping her thick hair back over her shoulder. "Sloth is in the hospital."

The teenager stood up so fast his chair nearly toppled over. "What?" he asked, his voice raised with disbelief and tinged with panic. "_Sloth_? For _what_?"

"I don't know," she replied, looking nearly as worried as Envy. "As soon as I got the call, I went looking for you. Luckily Roy knew where you were, because you neglected to turn on your cell phone." She gave him a pointed, disapproving look.

Frantically, Envy patted his the phone in his pocket then faced her again, nearly hyperventilating. "I- We need to see her," he told Lust firmly, taking a few steps in the direction of the door. Suddenly, he whirled back around and grabbed Ed's wrist. "You're coming with me, chibi."

---

Envy's grip on his hand was tight and icy as they wove through the tables to the exit. Edward had to trot to keep up with the fast-moving teenager, trying to quell the rising panic in his chest. _Sloth is one of his best friends_, he remembered. _His sister_. He recalled her unique fashion sense and her caring smile. What could have happened? Why was Sloth in the hospital? And another, selfish, thought surfaced. Why did she have to be in the hospital the day that he and Envy went on a sort-of-date?

He immediately squashed the question and squeezed Envy's hand reassuringly as they exited into the chilly night air. It took the teenager a few minutes to find his car and a few more to get it unlocked as he fumbled with the keys.

The Honda was cold but the teenager started it immediately, revving the engine and hastily backing out. Eyeing his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, Ed buckled his seatbelt nervously. _Please,_ he prayed to a God he didn't believe existed, _keep Sloth safe. Keep us safe_.

Not a word was spoken through the car ride, until Envy pulled up at Central Hospital, a tall building with a white and steel facade. He stayed still for a moment after parking the car, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "Please..." he murmured, and then, louder, "Stay with me."

They held hands entering the reception area, and Edward did his best to ignore the strange looks they received from the receptionist and the other occupants of the waiting room, squeezing Envy's hand once more. He hated the smell of hospitals - the sterility reminded him of metal prosthetics and his mother Trisha's final days. Neither were good memories.

"I need to get to Sloth Fiamma," Envy told the nurse waiting behind the desk, his voice barely shaking. "Can you give me her room number?"

The nurse, looking annoyed, raised an eyebrow. "I can only give you her room if you're some kind of relation," she said acidly.

"I _am_."

"Prove it," the woman replied haughtily.

The grip on Ed's hand grew viselike as Envy paled once more - this time with anger. "I don't have time for that, _dammit_!" he exclaimed. "I need to see her _now_! I'm her fucking brother! Envy!" The nurse recoiled and Edward could already tell she was only going to grow more recalcitrant.

Gritting his teeth, he shoved the taller teenager behind him. "Look, um, I'm really sorry about his behavior," he began, widening his eyes in innocent earnestness. "Sloth is his sister and he just found out that she's in the hospital. I'm not sure what proof we could give you, though." He shrugged and gave a crooked half smile in apology. "An ID?"

The nurse apparently hadn't thought of what proof they could use, either, judging from her slightly taken aback look. "O-of course," she replied after a moment's hesitation. "I'm sure that will be fine."

Ed turned to Envy, who was standing stiffly and biting his lip so hard it was nearly bleeding. "Do you have a driver's license or something with you?" he asked in a soothing tone of voice, acting calm for the teenager's sake. "I can use that as proof."

Wordlessly, Envy handed him a tooled leather wallet, and Edward opened it to find his school identification card placed prominently in the front. He held it out to the receptionist. "Will that do?"

The woman, seeming to have decided it was best to be rid of them as soon as possible, barely looked at the proof before motioning them onwards. "Whatever. She's in room 303. Just catch the elevator down that way," she jerked her thumb to a hall branching out toward the left, "and go to the third floor. You'll find it soon enough."

"Thank you," Edward replied sincerely, then turned to Envy to return his wallet. "Did you hear that? We just have to go down this hall, here, and the elevator..."

With every step they took the pressure on his hand increased until Ed could swear he could feel the bones actually crunching together. Quickening the pace and wishing Envy had latched onto his prosthetic instead, he hurried to the elevator and jabbed the button reading '3'. The quicker he could get to Sloth's room, the quicker Envy would release him. The long-haired teenager was nearly hyperventilating now, his other hand clenched in a tense fist.

Luckily, room 303 was just a few doors down the hall. Envy nearly sprinted to reach it, scrabbling at the doorknob before finally twisting it open. And, with one glance inside, Ed's worst fears were confirmed.

Sloth lay prone on the bed, surrounded by three white-coated doctors and being hydrated with an IV drip attached to her forearm. She looked like she was barely breathing and her face had a deathly white pallor. As Envy moved to talk to the doctors, Edward slumped against the wall near the entrance, overwhelmed by the scene.

_Pain, a burning pain, until the world is red and nothing exists but fire... Cool metal where fingertips should be... A restraining IV jabbing and tearing with every movement... Sobbing... Pleading... Pain medication and morphine until the world is a dying fog enveloping everything and nothing exists and there is nowhere to go and no one and the pain returns-_

"Ed! Edo!" Envy was, suddenly, back at his side, grabbing both his hands and looking concernedly into his face. "You look like you're about to faint." The urgency hadn't left his tone but it was tempered by worry for Edward's well-being. The blonde felt a warm rush of gratitude directed at Envy, for being such a good friend.

"Sorry," he replied weakly, then cleared his throat. "Go on to Sloth."

The teenager took one more moment to look at him distractedly, then turned to face the doctors. "What's wrong with her?" he asked bluntly, visibly restraining himself from rushing to Sloth's side. "She was fine last week, I swear! If anyone hurt her-"

"Calm down, son," one of the physicians said, taking both Envy's odd appearance and his defensiveness in stride. "You should know, if you're the father." He smiled indulgently, and one of the other doctors grinned.

"Wha...?" Envy looked to each of them in turn, tensing like a trapped animal. "The father? What are you talking about? She's my sister! _What's wrong with her_?"

For a moment, the talkative medic looked taken aback. Turning to Ed, he asked, "Is _he_ the father, then?"

Dumbly, Edward shook his head. "We have no idea what's wrong with her," he explained, although a sneaking suspicion was blossoming in the back of his mind. "I mean, we just got here. Could you please tell us? I think Envy's getting a little worried."

"Well," the doctor glanced at Sloth, who was still unconscious and pale, "this young woman is about six weeks pregnant." He looked at them and smiled, waiting for a reaction.

Envy's knees nearly buckled and he staggered slightly, before regaining his balance and shoving unceremoniously past the doctors to get to his sister, looking shaky with relief. He fell to his knees beside her bed and combed a strand of hair away from her face, nearly in tears. Edward watched him fondly, before turning back to the professionals. "So her body was just adjusting to the pregnancy, or something?" he asked. "I mean, I know pregnant women can faint but I don't think they're supposed to fall unconscious like that..."

A bespectacled physician, who hadn't yet spoken, stepped forward, looking at a clipboard. "All her vital signs are normal and, from the ultra scan, it looks like the fetus is developing quite well. I think her physiology might have simply overreacted to the stress of carrying a baby, or she hasn't been eating enough to support both of them."

The more garrulous doctor grinned. "We just want to keep her here another day or so to run some tests, and then we'll let her go, provided nothing's wrong. And I don't think anything will be." His smile grew wider. "I'm assuming you two want to stay here until she wakes up?"

Ed shot a sidelong glance at Envy, who was in no condition to answer, and nodded. "I think so."

"Right. Since you are both growing young men, I'll go grab you some food from the cafeteria. It's Western night tonight, and we're having Italian food." Edward almost cried at the irony as the doctor gave them a jolly salute, gestured to the three folding chairs stacked in the corner of the room, and exited.

---

"Martel's gonna flip," Envy said, giving a shaky laugh. He was now seated in a flimsy gray chair, as was Edward. "And I'm..." he paused, and smiled. "I'm gonna be an uncle."

Still facing Sloth, Ed gazed at Envy through his lashes and then turned back to the brunette. "You'd better be nice to her child," he said, even though he knew, from his extended hospital stay in sixth grade, that nearly twenty-five percent of pregnancies ended in miscarriage and nearly three-fourths of those 'spontaneous abortions' happened in the first three months.

"We're not even really related," the teenager continued, as if he hadn't even heard Edward. "She's adopted and I was adopted too. But we're closer than... than probably a real brother and sister would ever be. Sloth is one of my best friends. She was the first one I ever told about... anything. She's still the first person I talk to when things happen."

He let out a shaky breath. "I wonder who the father is. She doesn't really talk to me about it much, but I know she works as a waitress in a club - the _Devil's Nest_; Greed likes going there - and I'm pretty sure she's a prostitute in her spare time." He shrugged. "But it doesn't matter, I guess. She's still the nicest person I know. And she helps me talk to people."

Edward remained silent, acutely conscious once again of being an outsider, a stranger to Japan and to Envy.

"To tell the truth, I have a really hard time making friends," Envy said, suddenly and absentmindedly changing the subject. He wasn't looking at Ed and it was almost as though he was speaking to Sloth, or to thin air - neither of which were listening. "I don't know why; it's like I don't even _want _to know them, even if I walked up to meet them five seconds before. Roy, Ling, and you. You're the only people I've actually wanted to talk to. The rest of the school either treats me like a freak or some kind of sex god; either way, they're not worth my time. And I don't even know why." He laughed slightly. "So you're special, Edo. And now you've seen me serious... five times."

"So I'm not very good with feelings at all," the teenager continued before Edward had a chance to reply. "Half the time I don't even know whether I'm feeling something for _real_, or if it's just hormones or some other crazy mood swing. Maybe I'm psychotic." He laughed once more, and this time it had an undercurrent of bitterness. "I tend to drive people away, by accident, if I even let them get near me in the first place. I've never had a boyfriend. I've never been kissed." He smoothed Sloth's hair once more. "I don't even know... anything..." His voice faded to a whisper.

The two were suddenly interrupted by a cough from the doorway. The talkative doctor was standing there with two trays piled high with spaghetti, meat sauce, and one breadstick each. His posture indicated that he had probably been standing there for some time. Ed could feel a blush creeping up his cheeks as he stood to fetch the food. When he reached the physician, the man smiled and winked. '_Go for it_,' he mouthed before handing over the food, and Edward knew his face was scarlet.

"Uh, thank you," he replied hastily before the man shut the door. Pausing and taking a moment to compose himself so his cheeks weren't quite so pink, he sighed and toted the trays back, handing one to Envy, who accepted it silently. After his confession, he seemed to have nothing left to say.

Deciding that awkwardness could wait, Ed dug into his food, thankful that the doctor had also provided plastic forks and napkins. The food tasted delicious; he hadn't realized how ravenous he was. To tell the truth, the hospital fare was probably better than what they would have received at the restaurant, anyway.

"I'm sorry we didn't have a chance to eat at _Baciare_," Envy murmured, not looking up and playing with his food. "I mean, you did tell me that you were really looking forward to trying that chicken." His face held the briefest hint of a smile.

Not giving Edward time to discern whether Envy was joking, Lust and her seemingly ever-present follower walked through the door at that instant. "I heard the news," she said imperiously, placing a hand on her buxom hip.

"Did you?" the teenager asked disinterestedly. Now that the blind panic had left him and he had assured himself that Sloth was safe, he seemed incapable of even the most menial tasks. "That's nice."

Looking impatient with his taciturn replies, Lust glanced between Envy and Ed, apparently making a snap decision. "You're going to want to stay here all night, aren't you?" she asked with only a hint of disapproval in her tone.

Envy nodded.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to take your friend home, then, is that okay with you?"

He nodded once more.

"All right, I'll leave the room so you can say your goodbyes and everything." She beckoned to the fat man, who had been sniffing in a corner (did he think he was some kind of animal?) and they exited, shutting the door behind them.

The long-haired teenager looked up for the first time. "I think I might have ruined your Valentine's Day, Edo," he said quietly. "I'm sorry all of this happened. I'm sorry I dragged you here. Maybe we can get dinner some other time." He gave a one-shouldered shrug.

Almost in spite of himself, Edward moved forward. He had never seen Envy this vulnerable before, even when he had been in tears because of his fight with Roy. It was as if the teenager had exposed completely himself through a single sentence, an apology. He was fragile, he was...

"No, Envy," he replied, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. If it beat any faster it would burst out of his rib cage, he thought as he looked down at the teenager, who was frowning slightly. A few strands of silky green hair were hanging in front of his eyes, and, without stopping to think, he bent down and brushed them away, before cupping Envy's chin. "You could never ruin anything for me."

Violet eyes widened, startled, as Ed bent even closer and brought their lips together softly. At first, he was too stunned to respond and Edward, stroking the teenager's hair, silently prayed he hadn't just made a huge mistake. But a few moments later, Envy leaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Edward's waist, drawing him down so that he had a choice to either fall into the teenager's lap or onto the floor.

But Ed did neither, instead breaking the kiss and smiling at Envy. "See you tomorrow." Trying his best to fight the blush that was, for the seeming thousandth time that evening, trying to worm its way up his cheeks, he turned on his heels and followed Lust out the door, waiting until he was out of Envy's sight to crumple against the wall and grin like a maniac.

Meanwhile, Envy was left alone in the deathly quiet room with Sloth. He had half stood, as if to follow Ed to the door, his reflexes slowed from disbelief. Had Ed just...? Flopping back down into his seat, he pressed his fingers to his tingling lips. They tasted like spaghetti, and cinnamon. "Wow..." he breathed.

And Sloth, in her bed, stirred, opened her eyes, and smiled.

* * *

(I seem to have a strange obsession with making characters pregnant...) Happy Valentine's Day, and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations! Please, leave a review and check out my Valentine's Day story, Twelve Roses. See you next time! 


	18. Walking on Eggshells

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Nothing.

WARNING: This is an emo-ish, mostly filler chapter and I apologize for that. But I needed to think about what the heck I was doing with my life (and this fic) and also get in a little bit of character interaction and development.

Songs: 'Why' and 'Tomorrow' , by _Avril Lavigne_, 'You Were Meant for Me', by _Jewel_

I know it's almost two months since I put the last chapter up. And, funnily enough, the only reason you're getting an update from me so soon is because yesterday was the birthday of Potions for Foxes. (Happy birthday!) So trot along to her profile and maybe review some stories and thank her! Also, kudos to crywolf for helping me with my motivational issues. Muchas gracias to both of you and apologies that this chapter is rather short and all around sucky.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**  
_Walking on Eggshells_

Ed coughed, then groaned and rolled over to press his face into his pillow. "I hate my life," he mumbled.

It had been nine hours - the length of a good night's sleep - since his interrupted date with Envy and their kiss. And now he was going to miss school because he was inexplicably, undeniably sick. There must have been some kind of virus in the air at the hospital, Ed reflected. Or Envy could have been coming down with a cold without realizing it... or something.

He coughed again and turned back over to face the ceiling. Regardless of how he had caught the virus in the first place, he was now laid out with one of the worst colds he had ever experienced. His throat hurt, his legs (well, _leg_, really) ached, his head pounded, and his nose was stuffed so much he could barely breathe.

And he had a sickening feeling that Envy would think he was skipping school just to avoid _him_.

Wincing, Edward drew his knees up to his chest and pulled his comforter over his shoulder, burrowing into his blankets. What the hell had he been thinking? What the hell had he done? He would be returning to Germany in about a month and a half, and he had gone and started a relationship with Envy, who was way too _needy_ to ever come out of this one hundred percent okay. In just a month and a half, they were going to have to say goodbye...

Frustrated, he attempted to kick off the blankets, merely succeeding in further tangling himself with the sheets. When the _hell_ had things gotten so complicated? He almost wished Envy and Roy had turned out to be the hopeless bullies they had seemed like originally.

"Damn," he croaked. On second thought... "_Fucking_ damn." He hated drama. He hated being sick.

This whole situation was ridiculous, actually. A few days before, he would have vehemently denied even having feelings for Envy... but last night he had acted on impulse and kissed the teenager. And now he was up to his neck in a knee-high pool.

It was only a kiss, but it had felt like more. It had meant more, probably, than it had seemed like. And it came with presuppositions, assumptions, expectations, and everything else that Edward had tried to avoid by going to Japan in the first place.

His past had followed him, he remembered, thinking of Pinako and her semi-friendship with her parents. Why couldn't his problems have tagged along with it?

Envy would undoubtedly blame himself for Ed's absence. He would think that Ed realized that he wasn't gay, realized the night before had been a big mistake, and decided that he actually hated Envy. It was stupid, yes, but that's what the teenager would believe. Hopefully Roy would be able to snap him out of whatever depression ensued...

"_Shit_!" he cursed into his pillow, slamming his fist down onto the springy mattress. An uncomfortable feeling had wormed his way into his stomach - anxiety and a bit of guilt, combined. It was all his fault, he thought, then laughed when he realized how his own mind was following the path he had delegated to Envy.

Screw ridiculous, the situation was getting downright farcical. Now all he needed was a maudlin soundtrack and some dramatic lighting, and the soap opera would be complete. _Ha ha. Very funny, Ed... you should be a comedian._

A knock at the door interrupted his musings. Edward started - he thought he had been alone in the house. Winry and Al had gone to school, Den was out in the backyard (burying bones or doing some other doglike things), and Pinako was... shopping? "May I come in?" a gravelly voice questioned through the door.

"U-uh... sure..." Ed replied, rubbing at gritty eyes and rolling over to watch as Pinako gingerly opened the door, holding a tray in one hand and a bottle of aspirin in the other. A spoon balanced precariously on the edge of a ceramic bowl presumably filled with some kind of soup, while orange juice in a tall glass sloshed from side to side as she propped open the oak door with her foot.

"I brought you some food," Pinako said, finally stepping through the door. Edward breathed a sigh of relief to see that nothing had fallen and realized that he was surprisingly hungry.

Sitting up, he took the tray and sniffed appreciatively at the steaming miso soup. A month ago, he would have turned up his nose at the chunks of tofu at the bottom of the bowl, but he had adjusted quite well to Asian cuisine and now found the foreign tastes delicious. "Thanks, Pinako 'baa-chan!" he croaked. The 'old lady' honorific had become somewhat of an inside joke between the Elrics and their host family.

"You're welcome, midget," the shorter woman replied archly. Ed sputtered and nearly choked on his soup, but decided against yelling - it would only irritate his throat further. "Your symptoms are flu-like, correct?"

"...Yeah, I guess?"

Rolling her eyes at his careless shrug, Pinako began listing his ailments. "You have a sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, slight fever, and a headache. Correct?"

"Mm-hmm." The soggy tofu was proving to be a bit of a challenge to eat - the squishy white blocks kept slipping off his spoon, and his head was pounding too much for Edward to really pay attention to what he was trying to scoop up. Finally, he gave up and set the bowl back on the flower-printed tray. It wasn't all that appetizing, anyway.

"Well, then. It might be the flu, or it might just be a cold. We'll have to wait and see." Pinako gave him a smile that was more humorous than comforting, and handed him the bottle of aspirin. "Knock yourself out. Or rather, don't. There's no overdosing allowed in this house." She winked and took Ed's bowl. "I'll come back later to see if you need anything."

"Thanks," Ed replied again, lying back down onto the bed. The miso soup had made his throat feel a bit better, and it had warmed his stomach at the same time. He felt quite comfortable as he stared at the bottle of pills he had placed on the night table, trying to read the dosage without actually moving any closer. The numbers slipped in and out of his focus as his eyes fluttered closed... and then he was asleep.

--

It might have sounded lazy or cliché of him, but the thing that Edward Elric enjoyed most in life (besides learning and coming up with witty retorts to employ when people called him short) was sleeping. It was the one time in his life where he didn't have to think, where he could just let his subconscious take over and forget about whatever problems he was having. And while he slept, he was usually able to work a few things out.

And so, it doesn't take much reasoning to realize that one of Edward's least favorite things is to be woken up from a deep sleep. Especially when the person doing the waking understood that. But that had never stopped Al.

"Brother!" he cried, flinging open Ed's bedroom door and running into the room to leap on top of his covers. "How are you feeling now?"

Ed opened gummy eyes and winced - waking up to Al shouting in his ear was a highly unpleasant but all too common experience. "Mmphgarble," he mumbled into his pillow, yawning and glaring at his younger brother. "I'm sick," he replied irritably. "How do you think I feel?"

"Awful?" Alphonse guessed, cocking his head to the side. "...I'm sorry."

"Hm?"

"Sorry for barging in," the sandy-haired teenager elaborated, looking sheepish. "I missed you today. Envy missed you too." He grinned.

Edward rolled his eyes and pulled the covers over his head, shutting out both the light and Alphonse's smiling face. "Oh, that's nice," he replied, still half asleep. His head didn't hurt as much as it had when he had fallen asleep, and his throat was slightly less- "Wait." He flung the covers away from him and sat up, the impact of his brother's words finally reaching him. "Did you say Envy?"

"Yup. He came to see me after school to ask where you were."

"Um." Ed's face felt hot, and he knew he was probably blushing. Hopefully Al would chalk it up to the fever instead of embarrassment... "Did he say anything else?"

Al shrugged. "Not really, no. But he did look relieved when I said you were gone because you were sick." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful, and then his grin returned full force. "_So_... I've been meaning to ask you. How was your hot date with Envy last night?"

Edward sputtered and regretted taking a sip of his orange juice. Choking, he slapped the blankets and clutched at his chest, wishing his throat didn't hurt so much. Al, concerned, began patting him on the back.

After what seemed like forever, Ed finally regained his composure, sitting back up and wiping his forehead. "What the hell, Al?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hot date? All we did was go to karate, _with Roy_, and then he bought me dinner."

Immediately, Ed regretted his words. Envy had bought him dinner? That sounded incredibly date-like. (Most likely because the event had, in actuality, been a date, but Alphonse really didn't need to know that.) "I mean... he bought me dinner on the way to visit his pregnant sister in the hospital." ..._And that pretty much killed the romance, _right_, Al?_

"Oh." For a moment, the teenager looked let down, but soon his incorrigible spirit surfaced and he bounced back into 'attack mode'. "I bet that was fun though, wasn't it? He was probably all nervous and stuff... Have you kissed him yet?"

"Kissed?" Edward asked quickly. "Haha, what do you mean?" His face felt even hotter and he slumped down and pulled up the covers to hide it. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Is that _so_?" Al replied wickedly. "Liar."

"I am not lying!"

"No, but you're being defensive..."

"I am _not_ being defensive!"

"See what I mean?"

"No! I'm not... You know what? How are things with Winry, hmm? Kissed _her_ yet, or are you waiting for a special moment, lover boy?" Barely hiding his grin, Ed peeked out from his cocoon of covers to watch his little brother's reaction.

Alphonse looked slightly taken aback. His grey eyes widened and a pale pink blush spread across his cheeks as he shook his head. "Brother, I wasn't talking about Winry, I was talking about Envy! Don't go and change the subject like that!"

Ed burst out laughing and almost regretted it - he felt like his windpipe was being ripped apart but it was all too amusing _not_ to laugh about. "Ha ha ha _ack_-" He succumbed to a coughing fit, bringing up a clenched fist to cover his mouth.

Immediately, Al looked worried. "Are you sure you're okay, brother? Because you sound really sick and-"

The blonde looked up and gave a mischievous grin. "Don't go changing the subject like that," he croaked triumphantly, and Al pouted.

"Aw, come on! You're horrible!"

"I'm exactly the same as you. So _there_."

"You know what? I'm not telling you anything. Ever!"

"Hey, you can't hold out on me! I'm your big brother, remember? I know everything!"

"Then you would know how things were going and you wouldn't have to ask!"

"...Okay, fine, you got me there. _Brat_."

"You're so mean, brother!"

"Look who's talking."

"_Hey!_"

Edward smiled to himself as he watched his indignant brother. They hadn't had very many chances to really talk, what with the amount of homework both had been getting in preparation for the end of the school year as well as all the times Ed had gone out with Envy and Roy - to karate, to dinner, to bum around the city... He had missed Alphonse, and from Al's look of joy (even though he was being teased into submission), Al had missed him too.

Yawning, Edward felt his headache returning. He slumped back into bed and pulled the covers back up, burrowing into their warmth not because of embarrassment, this time, but for comfort. He rubbed his eyes and watched Alphonse's rant peter out.

"You okay, big brother?" the boy asked, peering at him with a concerned look on his face. "Sorry if I tired you out..."

Ed smiled sleepily. "It's fine, Al," he replied. "We should talk more sometime... but maybe later because I'm about to die."

The sandy-haired boy smiled and ruffled Ed's hair, and, not for the first time, Edward felt like he was the younger brother. "Okay, I get it," he replied. "You just want me to leave so you can go back to your fantasies of Envy!"

"Shut up," the blonde muttered, blushing, as Al turned to leave. Then he added, as an afterthought, "Love you, bro."

At the door, Alphonse turned and smiled. "Love you too."

* * *

Aw, how sappy. Once again, apologies for the uber short chapter and ridiculously long update wait. I'll hopefully make it up to you next time. Somehow. And since this fic is getting close to another milestone, I'd like to remind you all that the 300th reviewer gets a complimentary one-shot, for the fandom of their choice. (Providing, of course, that I know a bit about that fandom.) So, review and good luck!

Also, check out and please vote on the poll I put up on my profile. Thanks in advance!


	19. No Such Prince Charming

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** Hate me for updating so late? Join the club. I should make a club. I'd be a member!

WARNING: Heh heh, your mom.

Songs: '37.0ºC' by _Yaida Hitomi_, 'Elenore' by _the Turtles_

Hello, honeycakes... es. Batman is gay but the Joker is gayer, and that's a good thing! But _damn_, I wanna see that movie again. ...Actually, I find I prefer Marvel Comics superheroes, like Wolverine and Spiderman and the Human Torch (but not Cyclops, he's an ass). Huh. Wasn't this supposed to be an apology for taking four months to update?  
Oh, and congrats to draculina17 for being the 300th reviewer! She requested a _Death Note_ one-shot about Sayu and Near - trot along to my profile, and check it out. (It's called _Small Compensation_ and it's angsty.)

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen  
**_No Such Prince Charming_

_"What about water? The bathroom's down the hall, and I could go get some... Maybe he'd wake up if we splashed him."_

_"Don't be an idiot! He's sick; that'd just make him worse. What if he died?"_

_"Now who's being the idiot? Got any other ideas?"_

_"Yeah, let's reverse your roles and pretend he's Sleeping Beauty. Go up to him and give him a kiss, Prince Charming - then maybe he'll-"_

_"Fuck you, Roy, you're such an asshole!"_

"_Actually, technically, _you're_ the-"_

Ed groaned and rolled over, burying his head into his pillow. The sheets were soft and his comforter was nice and toasty (_toasty_, it was such a cliché word but so true) and he felt like he could stay like this forever... It was strange, though - he had dreamt that Envy and Roy were talking, but he couldn't see them and it was almost like they were in the same room. Weird.

But oh well. It was Sunday, finally, and he had a chance to rest for the whole day and get over his cold. He also had a whole day to prepare for seeing Envy again, and he was going to need it. After the kiss, he wasn't sure what he would do when-

"Good _mooorning_, oh lovely small one!"

Reflexively, Edward sat bolt upright. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE'D GET TOSSED INTO A PILLOWCASE AND DIE OF SUFFOC- _ack_..." Ed doubled over and clutched at his chest, his rant cut off by a massive coughing fit. His eyes teared up involuntarily as he struggled to gain back his breath.

"Oh shit, Roy, I think you broke him! What do I do? Should I leave him alone, should I pat him on the back? Shit, shit, shit..."

Someone was hovering nervously in his peripheral vision, but Ed waved them off with the hand that didn't have a death grip on the blanket. "I'll be... _haa_... fine..." he managed to choke out, squeezing his eyes shut and attempting a deep breath. "Okay." Taking another breath and weakly brushing his bangs off his sweaty forehead, he took a look at his visitors.

Envy and Roy were standing at the foot of his bed, Envy looking worried and Roy wearing a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck in an embarrassed gesture. "I didn't mean to get you so riled up as soon as you woke up."

"No worries," Ed replied, still catching his breath. "Bastard."

"I'm _glad_ that's all settled," Envy interjected, and stepped in front of Roy, who was giving Ed an extremely rude gesture. "Edo, we're kidnapping you." Edward noticed the faint blush on his cheeks and the way he wouldn't quite meet his eyes. _I guess I wasn't the only one thinking about the kiss_.

He tried to act normally. "Kidnap?"

Roy shoved Envy aside. "Yeah," he said, leering. "We're going to kidnap you and take you to the secret sex dungeon where Envy will-"

Hastily, Envy jumped on his back and clamped both hands over his mouth. "We're _going _to take you to Roy's house," he said, blushing furiously. "You've been in a stuffy room for the past two days; you need fresh air." He paused, and made a disgusted face. "You _licked _me!" Sure enough, when Envy removed his hand from over Roy's mouth, it was covered with spit. "_Ewww_..."

"So," Roy continued, grinning and wiping his mouth. "Get dressed and get ready, because my car is waiting out front."

--

Ed leaned his head against the cool glass of the car window and stared outside. Envy and Roy were chatting quietly in the front, but he was content to hug his jacket around his shoulders and watch the scenery. The ice hadn't completely melted yet, and there were nasty piles of slush on the sides of the street. But the sunlit air held an ethereal quality, as though any moment it would shatter into tiny pieces and fall down like snow.

He blew out a soft sigh. It was barely ten-thirty and he was being poetic. Maybe it was the cold medicine...

This was the first time he had _really_ been up and about since recovering from his fever yesterday afternoon. He still felt slightly woozy, and probably wouldn't be going anywhere fast anytime soon. Occasionally a wave of dizziness would pass over him and he'd feel like fainting, but that was all normal. Hopefully Roy and Envy weren't planning anything really ridiculous; he'd hate to faint on them or something like that.

Speaking of Envy...

The teenager hadn't quite met his eyes at all this whole time, and avoided speaking to him unless necessary (or to clarify one of Roy's ubiquitous innuendoes). If his attitude was anything like Edward was experiencing right now, he was probably torn between wishing that he was somewhere _far_ away or alone with Ed. And probably his thoughts were weighted more towards the former.

_I need to talk to him_, Ed thought, shifting uncomfortably as he felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. _I need to explain that the kiss was_-

Was what? A spur of the moment thing, because he hadn't been thinking at all and Envy had looked so damn vulnerable? No... A mistake, because they had known each other for little more than a month and a half, and that was too little time on which to base a steady relationship? He shook his head.

Even if he _did_ have feelings for Envy - he would admit it, now; it's not like there was anything to hide any more - he would be going back to Germany at the end of March. To Russell, and an empty, cobwebbed house, to the rumors that always started up and the constant fights. And Envy would be...?

--

Melting icicles hung from the eaves of Roy's house, brilliantly reflecting the sunlight. Reflexively, Ed hunched his shoulders as he passed under the chilly drops, wondering just how much damage one of those spikes could do if they decided to fall at that very moment.

"My parents are gone again," Roy explained as he unlocked the front door. "They left yesterday." He turned to grin at his companions. "That means we have the place all to ourselves."

"Sweet," Envy replied, ducking inside as soon as the door had been opened. "_Shit_, Roy, it's _freezing_ in here."

Edward followed and was immediately hit by a blast of cold air. Behind him, Roy shut the door and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry. I leave my windows open when I go to bed."

"In _this_ weather?" Ed asked as Envy simultaneously said, "Are you _crazy_?"

To Ed's surprise, Ling was lounging on the comfortable futon in front of the TV, swathed in a bright pink, fuzzy blanket. He waved lazily as the three of them entered, and Edward stifled a laugh at the spectacle. "I was wondering when you guys would get back. Took you long enough." He reserved a special smile for Ed. "How's it going, blondie?"

Edward twitched at the nickname, but it was better than something like _shorty_ or _shrimp_. "Still sick." Glancing back at Envy, who had dragged Roy through a door in the kitchen, he settled himself beside Ling, who turned to him amiably.

"I'm still convinced you're faking."

"I'm still convinced you're an idiot."

"Ouch."

Smirking, Ed turned to the television, where a pretty black-haired woman was detailing a hostage situation near Shinjuku. "The news?" he asked, frowning slightly and giving the pony-tailed teenager a sidelong glance. Ling had never struck him as someone who would pay attention to world affairs.

He was answered with a shrug. "My dad owns the broadcasting company _Xing Enterprises_. He's like... the emperor." He jerked a thumb at the screen. "That's my aunt. Her daughter's name is Mei-chan; she's three grades lower than us."

"Wow. I guess that means you're really... rich?" Edward couldn't help but feel slightly awed. Ling usually kept quiet about his home life; maybe it was because he didn't want to make people jealous.

"I guess." The teenager paused, his customary smile fading a bit, and turned back to the screen. "We have a nice house... A really big family, though. I'm his twelfth child."

Ed did a double take. "_Twelfth_?!"

Ling smirked. "Out of twenty-four."

Before the gaping Edward could question him further, their conversation was sidetracked by the return of Envy and Roy. "The garage is ready!" Roy called brightly.

"Oh, wait!" Envy interrupted him and hurried past the living room and down the hall. Roy raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms, and waited. Curious, Ed glanced between the dark haired teenager and the hallway Envy had disappeared into. Ready for _what_?

After a few minutes of awkward silence - the only speech came from the anchor on television, now reviewing the value of Japanese yen compared to the American dollar and the euro - Envy bustled back down the hall, bearing a comfortable looking armchair and a knitted blanket.

"Hey, that's my-" Roy's complaint was cut off by Envy's significant look in Ed's direction. "Oh, right. _As I was saying_, the garage is ready!"

Yawning and stretching, Ling stood from the couch and turned off the TV. "So we _are_ going to practice today," he muttered absently, almost to himself.

Confused, Edward followed him through the kitchen. "Practice what?"

Wordlessly, Ling swung open the heavy garage door and held it open, smiling. Envy was just setting down the armchair and smoothing down the blanket, and Roy had picked up a bright red guitar and was strumming it, smirking. "Band practice."

--

Ed curled up in the armchair, wrapping the crimson blanket about his shoulders. Normally, he would have been embarrassed by Envy's treatment of him - what, was he some kind of baby? - but he had begun to feel dizzy in the short walk from the living room to the garage, and accepted the seating arrangement with little complaint. Besides, he was much too interested in the activities taking place before him to waste time griping.

For one, he had never heard Envy's band have an actual practice. But they must be pretty good - after all, they had an actual _manager_ (if Hughes could be considered a professional in anything). Then again, maybe having a manager just meant someone liked you enough to be willing to promote your music, even if it wasn't any good... Okay, so he knew nothing whatsoever about being in a band, but he was willing to bet he'd find out a lot more than he had ever needed to know today.

Ling had already set up a strange looking keyboard contraption in the back corner of the room. There were at least three electrical cords attached to various parts of the instrument, one of them going to a... computer? He shook his head. Some sort of mechanized piano thing. It probably had a bunch of settings for, like, drums and strings and ukuleles and pipe organs and golf balls and whatever else had caught the manufacturer's fancy at the moment.

Roy was to the right and slightly in front of him, with, of course, a flamingly scarlet guitar. Given his pyromaniacal tendencies, it came as a surprise that the instrument wasn't decorated with glittery, orange and yellow flames. He had it plugged into an amplifier, and was presently setting up some kind of pedal thing. To distort the sound, maybe...? Edward shook his head. He'd find out.

Finally, Envy had rigged a microphone to another amplifier and was setting it up at head height. He had already strung a dark blue, slightly sparkly guitar over his shoulder, and was strumming it slowly, with a look of pained concentration adorning his face.

Oh, wait. It was a guitar with only four strings. A base, or something?

Flicking some kind of switch on the underside of his keyboard, Ling played a lilting chord. "All right, let's get started!" he cheered. Roy whooped and played a quick riff, and Envy cleared his throat.

"Right," he said, looking anywhere but at Ed. "Um. I guess we'll start with the folk songs, for the festival..." His voice trailed off nervously and he gave a small cough. "Yeah. Uh. Ling, do the ten bar intro with the cool cascade-y thing. The one we practiced last week. And, Roy, no distortion until the second verse, when we do the crescendo." His voice grew more confident as he directed his friends. "Okay? Four-and-five-and-_go_-and..."

The sound of chiming filled the room, and it took Edward a moment to realize it was emanating from Ling's keyboard. His face held a look of tranquil absorption as his fingers danced over the keys and, for once, his ever-present smile had gone, replaced by a look of peace. Ed stared, at both the change in his friend's expression and the skill at which he was playing. The music sounded like a summer rainstorm, a peaceful waterfall... It had no coherent order, sounding on the surface merely like a collection of pretty noises, but as Edward listened more closely he began to pick out various chords, a melody that followed a scale _down down down_ and then _up_, subtle but never getting completely lost.

Gradually, the ethereal music was replaced with the down-to-earth _plink_ing of piano keys, still retaining the aura of crystalline, flowing mystery. Before the transition was fully completed, Roy cut in with a series of arpeggios, each one growing louder and then softer as he went back down the notes of the scale. He had set the amp, or whatever, to some weird kind of distortion. It made the notes echo and reverberate as he played them. Ed frowned unconsciously as he began to listen more intently.

Envy had begun playing the base slowly, plucking once for each of Roy's lilting arpeggios. The throbbing beat was barely audible over the keyboard and guitar, but it was steady, like a heartbeat. Finally, after what seemed like _forever_, Envy took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and began to sing.

_Somewhere spring  
is coming,_

Envy's voice, which Edward had always thought of as slightly high-pitched and maybe a little bit feminine, fit the lilting melody perfectly. Surprisingly, when he sang, his voice became less dangerous and gained a more open tone. And he was an extremely good singer.

_  
Somewhere water  
begins to flow.  
_

Relaxing, and letting the sound wash over him instead of trying to discern individual notes in the ripples of music, Ed curled up further into the chair and gathered the blanket more tightly about him. Abstractly, he noted that the lyrics of the song were nowhere near as lamenting as the tune, and wondered whether Envy, Roy, and Ling had just made up a completely new melody.

_Somewhere a lark  
Sings happily,  
Somewhere buds  
are bursting forth_.

As the song, flowing up and down with the strains of a lullaby, wore on, Edward found his eyes growing heavier. He made a token effort to stay awake, stirring and blinking a few times, then finally resigned himself to sleep.

_The cold east winds of March still blow,  
But somewhere..._

_Somewhere..._

_  
Spring is on its way._

* * *

I was actually planning to have one more section to this chapter, but that was a perfect ending scene. So cute... But what is _with_ the chapter title? Anyway, until next time, honeycakes-es! Trot along to my Death Note fics to pass the updating time. -is a review whore-


	20. Sorting It Out

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** I haven't said it in a while, so I suppose I'll remind you that, no matter how much of a sexy palm tree I am, I don't own FMA.

WARNING: This chapter is really full of dialogue, and so many other people apologize for chapters like these that I feel like I should be apologizing for it too. I'm not quite sure why, though, because dialogue reveals a lot of interesting things about character relationships and interactions, and can be more fun (and funny) than just peeking in on one person's thoughts. But that's my opinion.

Songs: 'El Scorcho' by _Weezer_; 'Let Love In' by the _Goo Goo Dolls_

So I wrote more than half of this using a laptop. On vacation. In a cabin in the mountains. While my stomach was hurting. With a swollen right hand.  
Yeah, I love you guys.

By the way, I forgot to note that the song I used last chapter was a translation of a traditional Japanese folk song. So I didn't write it. I didn't even translate it myself. And, also, if I'm lucky enough to get a four-hundredth reviewer, that reviewer will be lucky enough (or unlucky enough, depends on your perspective) to get a complimentary oneshot, their pairing choice. So review away!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**  
_Sorting It Out_

Ed watched his breath billow out in a cloud of condensation, obscuring the yellowed grass and leafless trees of the small park. He wished he had been able to live in Japan during the spring or summer months, when the leaves would be racous and green and there would maybe even be cherry blossoms. He and Envy could have gone to a cherry blossom viewing party; weren't those supposed to be romantic?

He exhaled again, this time looking up to say farewell to the pale cloud as it spiraled upward. The sky, at least, was achingly blue, so clear and bright that it absorbed the light and held it before sending it ricocheting back to the earth, casting the park in a icy light that made the scenery look even more stark.

His third exhale was more of a sigh - deep breath in, deep breath out - and as it floated away he remembered reading somwhere that he could be breathing the same air the dinosaurs had, the same air taken in by Julius Caesar or the pharaohs in Egypt or Hitler or Hokusai or his father or... _his mother_.

A gusty sigh. _Woosh_. This time he barely had time to notice his breath before it got swept away.

_So_...

He wrapped his arm around the bitingly cold swingset chain to steady himself, sat down, and pushed off from the piled-up sand. His boots left scuff marks from their passage.

_So_...

He and Envy really, _really_ needed to talk. Especially now that his cold was gone, having left nothing more than a lingering cough - Ed would be able to hold his own in a shouting match. Not that it would come to that, he hoped. But... something had to be done. An agreement had to be reached.

"A break up..." he murmured, kicking out his legs and swinging even higher. Although, technically, it really couldn't be counted as such. They were never actually _together_, except for the kiss. That _damn_ kiss. What were those lectures Al always gave him?

"_If you weren't so impulsive- If you would only think before you act- You never use your brain!_"

_Well, you're right, Al_, Ed thought, swinging even higher. His braid was lifted by the wind to fly in a golden rope behind him. _It's my damn impulsiveness that got me into this_.

He paused a moment as a thought struck him - _so what the hell's going to get me out_?

Previously, he had acknowledged his feelings for Envy. He liked the teenager, there was no doubting that. He... He maybe liked him a lot. A _whole_ lot.

But he was leaving in a month and a half.

Frustrated, Edward kicked his legs violently and swung even higher, grounding himself with the cold air streaming into his lungs. He had been over all of this before, and he hadn't gotten anywhere. So why worry? Why not just go along for the ride?

_Why the hell not?_

Because Envy was late.

--

Ten minutes later, an extremely harried-looking seventeen year old arrived at the park. He was panting, and his hair was dishevelled. Envy's jacket was hanging off his shoulders, his cheekbones highlighted by a slight flush - he looked like he had run a long way.

"Uh, sorry," he said, after catching his breath. The look he gave Ed was embarrassedly sheepish. "I was at the hospital, visiting Sloth... lost track of time..." His voice trailed off as he gazed up at the silent figure on the swings.

Edward made a wry smile. "It's okay," he replied, dragging his heels against the sand to come to a stop. "I needed some time to chill."

He jumped off and drew his coat closely around him. Without thinking, Ed scooped up Envy's fingers on his way to the bench, holding his hand loosely. The dark-haired teenager startled and blushed, but followed without complaining.

"Um, yeah, I really am sorry about being late." Envy began as they sat down. He smoothed his thin pants down, then shivered and sat on his hands. The metal bench was freezing cold.

_I really want to kiss him again_, Edward thought with a start, eyeing Envy's pale lips. His heart gave a nervous thump - this was the closest they had been since Thursday, Valentine's Day.

Apparently, Envy was having the same thoughts. His breathing was shallow - more like panting, really... Was he nervous? His purple eyes really were gorgeous, even though he was trying his damned best to avoid eye contact.

_I really, _really_ want to kiss him again. Shit_.

Almost involuntarily, Ed reached up to brush aside a strand of Envy's hair. _Double shit_.

And instead of jerking away, Envy leaned into the touch, his eyes half-closed. _Triple shit_.

Edward's gloved hand tucked the hair behind Envy's ear and caressed his cheek, covered metal fingers running up and down the pale surface. His first thought - _what I wouldn't give to have feeling in this hand_. His second - _oh, fuck it._

So they kissed. Again.

_So much for finding a way to end this_, Ed thought as his hands brushed up and down Envy's back. But, you know... it would be good while it lasted, right?

--

"Hey, _hey_," Al smirked as he walked into the kitchen. "How's it going, _loverboy_?"

Somehow, Edward managed to spit out his hot chocolate - drops of cocoa flew in an arc and spattered across the table, the window, and Al's face - and choke on it at the same time.

"L-lover... boy?!" he managed through a coughing fit. "Al... what?"

Wiping the drink off his face with a mildly disgusted expression, Alphonse pulled out a chair and took a seat next to his brother. "Why not?" he asked with a superior grin. "You just came from the park, after a _hot date_, your face is flushed, your hair is messed up, and you're drinking hot chocolate!"

"It's not what you _think_!" Ed squawked indignantly, hastily checking his hair and rebraiding it. "I-I mean, it's cold out. And windy. And I walked a long way, okay?" He paused, glaring. "A-and, what does hot chocolate have to do with anything?"

Al shrugged. "I dunno, it just strikes me as romantic. The second most romantic drink besides champagne." He rested his chin on his hand and made an exaggeratedly wistful expression. "Wrapped in blankets, drinking hot cocoa in front of a crackling fire with your _one true love_..."

"Then I'm sure you're looking forward to doing that with Winry," Edward muttered with a blush. "Unless you've been getting it on behind my back...?" It was his turn to smirk and raise an eyebrow.

"Uh uh uh, the _only_ reason that worked last time was because you were _sick_. So, _niisan_... Juicy details, please?"

Ed glared into his mug. "What makes you think there _are_ any juicy details?"

Instead of replying, Al was content to stare at Edward.

And stare.

And stare.

"Okay, _fine_, we met in the park and we kissed and then he had to go so I walked home is that good enough for you?" He did his best to say everything in one breath, and as fast as he could.

Alphonse blinked and took a moment to decipher the speed-of-light statement. Finally, he opened his mouth to ask an entirely unexpected question. "Is Envy a good kisser?"

Slamming down his hot chocolate - there was less than a sip left, anyway - Edward stood. "All _right_, I'm going to my room. To do homework." He glared at his brother. "So don't disturb me."

Laughter followed him down the hall. "I'll take that as a yes!"

--

To his surprise and mild chagrin, Winry was waiting for him in his room. She had commandeered his bed, lying on her stomach and kicking her feet up lazily.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Um... hey," he said, not sure how to react to this unexpected intrusion. He and Winry generally kept to themselves; since he was in a higher grade level they had no classes together, and he mostly fraternized with Roy and Envy after school.

"Oh, hi Ed," Winry said with entirely too much cheer to be completely innocent. "How's it going?"

"Great..." he replied hesitantly, remembering Al's comments and quickly smoothing down his hair once more. "Um... Why are you in my room?"

Winry gave a silvery laugh. "Oh, right, that," she replied, smiling.

There was a pause as Ed waited for her to speak. Finally, realizing that he would have to prod her a bit more, he asked, "Yes?"

"Yeah..." The girl avoided his gaze. "Er... So I heard you were dating Envy, or pretty close to dating him, anyway."

"Who'd you learn that from?" Edward asked, instantly wary.

"Envy."

"..."

At Ed's silence, she looked a bit sheepish. "I... asked him. Because I didn't want to ask you. And he knows I won't, like, gossip about it. Promise."

Still a little stunned - wasn't there some kind of animosity between Envy and Winry? - Edward nodded, and took a seat at his desk. "Right."

"So, I don't know, I just wanted to say... congratulations?" She forced a laugh. "It's not like it matters anymore, but... Oh, ha ha..."

Edward frowned. "What's the matter?" She was acting... strange, to say the least.

"Well. You know, a year ago, I would have been _so_ absolutely jealous of you. Do you know that? I... probably would have been at your throat. You know," she made claws of her hands. "Catfight. Rawr."

"You mean... You liked Envy?" Ed had to work hard to wrap his mind around that bit of information. Envy... and Winry. They seemed like one of the most incompatible couples he had ever encountered.

"Yeah." Winry's laugh sounded almost desperate. "Yeah," she repeated, and took a hasty swipe at her eyes. "Oh, it's so ridiculous when you think about it now, but he was my whole world."

"You were going out?" He was doing his best to untangle her muddled statements.

She giggled, and tightened her ponytail. "No, not even that... It was _so_ stupidly one-sided. I couldn't stop thinking of him, he never bothered to think of me. Just like that."

Edward remained silent, unsure of what to say next. But Winry just kept talking, like she didn't care whether he was listening or not.

"And so finally, one day, I got tired of pining after him from a distance. So I tried to get close to him. You know, I'd say hi in the halls, all that... and when he learned my name, it was a thrill, but Roy..."

She paused, and took a deep gulp of eair. Her next words spilled out of her in a torrent. "He told me not to do it, because he saw it before Envy even realized. But last year, on Valentine's day..." She choked on a sob. "I-I... He... It was like he didn't even notice because he didn't care, he just- I don't know what he did with the chocolates, he p-probably threw them away or gave them to his f-friends, but he just... just..."

Tears were pouring down her face, and Edward hovered nervously - not quite standing up, but not relaxing in his chair, either. He was rapidly realizing he had _no_ idea what to do with a sobbing girl, and he had never been much good at comforting people, either. Finally, he reached out and patted her shoulder gingerly, making soft shushing noises. "It's all right..."

Her wailing grew louder. "He just _looked_ at me, like he was looking through me, and _walked away_!"

"_Shhh..._"

After a few minutes, Winry regained control of herself and gathered what dignity she could. "I don't think he even realized how much he hurt me. Like, he was so _obviously_ gay that any chocolates from a _girl_ had to be a joke, right?" She scrubbed her eyes furiously. "But I'm totally over it."

Ed gave her a skeptical look.

"Okay, I'm over it _for the most part_." She exhaled deeply. "It just gets to me, especially since this is nearly a year to the day, and now you've managed to snag him, after all that time he spent playing hard-to-get..." She sniffled.

"Well..." Edward winced, and tried to inject some humor into the situation. "I guess 'I'm really sorry' doesn't cut it in a situation like this, huh?" He laughed weakly.

Winry joined him with a giggle and a small smile. "Oh, I'm behaving like such a _girl_." She gave her eyes one last furious wipe. "I need to learn to let things go."

Ed said nothing.

"I guess... that's pretty much all I came to tell you." Her eyes were bloodshot and nose still puffy and red from her crying spell, but Winry's smile was back, genuinely. "Just needed to get all that off my shoulders..." She hiccuped and took another deep breath.

Edward smiled at her. "Don't sweat it," he said easily. "But... I wonder why you didn't talk to Al?" He smirked.

The girl blushed furiously. "_Ed_! It would make him jealous, and that's no way to start a relationship!"

He laughed. "So you _are_ planning on starting a relationship?"

"_Ed_!"

--

Mercifully, all the classes Ed and Envy had together (with the exception of lunch) were strictly academic, and talking and socializing was highly discouraged. So Ed was able to keep his thoughts and his feelings to himself - at least until lunch.

Neither of them were sure how to interact now that the status of their relationship had changed. They were boyfriends, sort of, but not _quite_. As Envy had never been involved with this kind of relationship, and Ed's experience was limited to casual (female) hook-ups, both were woefully inexperienced. And things were horribly awkward between them.

"I honestly don't know how to talk to him," Ed confessed to Roy after Envy had abruptly walked out of the cafeteria, muttering something about Hughes. "It's like, we're both scared to get any closer, but we don't want to lose each other, either."

Roy made a soppy face. "Aww, you're such a mushy bean," he cooed, patting Edward's head as though he was a small child.

"I AM NOT BEING MUSHY, YOU MOTHERFUCKING SON OF A-" Ed's rant was cut off by Ling, arriving with his third helping of food. The ponytailed teenager had wisely shoved a peppermint into the blonde's mouth, choking him and effectively ending his tirade.

"I'm not short, either," he muttered, after spitting the candy into a napkin. "Bastard. I was trying to open up to you, and you insult me for it."

Ling plopped himself down, glanced around for Envy, then shrugged. "Don't talk to Roy," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "All he's got on his mind is sex and miniskirts."

Edward smothered a laugh while Roy looked indignant. "Do not!" He paushed. "Well... Be that as it may, at least I manage to get decent grades!"

"Speak for yourself; I'm only one-tenth of a point behind your average."

"Which means I'm smarter."

"Which means you're a dumbass that cares about grades."

"Tell Envy how you feel about him," Roy said suddenly, ignoring Ling's comeback.

Edward greeted the non sequitur with a bemused look. "What?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "What I said. Tell Envy how you feel." He frowned at Ed's puzzled expression. "Uh... what _do_ you feel about him?"

"Good question," Ed muttered under his breath. How did he feel? He placed his chin on his hands, thinking, and closed his eyes. _I do like him, a lot... But at the same time it was nice when we were just friends, because I didn't have to worry about anything being between us. It was nice to kiss him though, really nice, and I've always accepted the fact that I might be gay - Russell helped that along a little with his stupid innuendoes. I always thought _he _was pretty... but I fought with him a lot too and never felt like... like..._

"He's a lot like me, but he's really different too. And I like all the ways he's different. And all the ways he's the same. And I like how he dresses, and how he looks, and all his little expressions..." Edward felt his face turning a bright red, and he ducked his head.

"Do you really?" a voice asked breathlessly from behind him. Ed winced as he saw the identical expressions of amused chagrin on Ling and Roy's faces. Slowly, he turned around.

"Yeah, Envy. Yeah, I do."

* * *

Thus, it ends. Forever.  
Just kidding! I'm only barely halfway through February, and there's still all of March! Which leads me to the usual complaint of 'Oh my God I have no idea where the heck I'm going with this and junior year just started for me so I have a ton of homework - like you don't even know - and I do write these chapters ahead of time now but still! and how am I going to draw this out for thirty more days? and I suppose I'll have to put in a fluff chapter and I bet y'all are looking forward to that even though my fluff can be angsty although I dunno what I'll do oh my God'. Yeah.  
And the usual - reviews make my day; please talk to me because I'm a poor lonely soul; only you make my workload bearable; et cetera. Love from (an overtired and exuberant) indigo!

PS: I'd really appreciate it if someone gave me some direction. Honestly. Where _is_ this going? What can Envy even say to that? -sigh-


	21. When You're Lost

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** I'm really tired of writing this story. ...I'm sorry.

WARNING: Blah blah blah... I think I've run out of interesting things to say.

Songs: 'We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands' by _The Academy Is..._, 'August in Bethany' by _The Juliana Theory_,

Congratulations to lostcause331 for being my four-hundredth reviewer! If you haven't already seen, I've completed her oneshot, called The Crimson Killings. Unsurprisingly, it's EdxEnvy, AU, and... (surprisingly) about a serial killer and prostitution. Go read it. And review.  
Also, I'm terribly sorry for taking such a bloody long time to update. Um, I meant this chapter to be up last week but I started it Sunday night, then I got slightly depressed and it's always hard to write this when I'm moody, and I've also bee extremely busy - like you don't even know. So. Yeah. I'm sincerely trying to finish this, guys. Bear with me.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**  
_When You're Lost..._

So it wasn't like, a big deal, dating Envy, Ed thought to himself as he pillowed his head on his arms and watched Envy and Roy from the corner of his eye. After school the two had dragged him and Ling to the park to watch an impromptu demonstration of their form for karate, using old, dried-out pine branches for swords and with much more flourishing and friendly banter than was probably necessary.

Envy made a flailing strike at Roy, who blocked it easily and sidestepped, aiming a hit to the long-haired teenager's ribs.

"Not even close," Envy taunted, assuaging Ed's small moment of worry.

Tearing his eyes away from the dueling duo, Edward gazed up at the sky, a hazy, forbidding gray. Ling, kneeling beside him and avidly watching the fight, nudged him with a knee. "Hey, hey, loverboy. It looks like your boyfriend's getting beat."

"He's not my boyfriend," the blonde muttered in reply, forgetting his thought of a few moments before. "I mean," he amended hastily, "we're not _actually_ going out." His breath was a pale frozen cloud in the freezing air.

"Uh-huh," Ling replied skeptically, raising an eyebrow but still not looking away from the match. "That's not what the whole cafeteria thought when Envy hugged you like that a few hours ago."

Edward could feel his blush and brought a hand up to cover his face. "Shut up," he said, his voice muffled by his sleeve.

"You guys seem to have a really wonderful relationship," Ling blathered. "Like, even better than a married couple because you know how they say married couples argue all the time? Well you two -"

"Shut _up_."

"He hugged you for a really long time. Like, _really_ long. I was starting to worry about your virginity."

"_Shut u_ -" Ed paused, and frowned, and turned to stare at Ling with a frown. The Chinese teenager was still smiling implacably into the distance. "What the _hell_?"

Ling didn't answer directly, instead saying, "This grass is rather cold. Or maybe it's the ground. Do you think it will snow?"

"...What the hell?"

"I said: 'Do you think it will snow?'"

"I know what you said, but -"

Ed was cut off by an alarmed shout from the field. Startled, he twisted around and raised himself on an elbow to better survey the scene. Roy had somehow disarmed Envy, whose mock sword was lying on the ground a few feet away. Apparently, it was Envy who had shouted, and the long-haired teenager was now rubbing his wrist and giving Roy a rueful look. "What the fuck was that for?" he asked angrily.

"What was what for?" the dark-haired teenager replied with a smirk. "You totally sucking at life, or me totally kicking your ass?"

Envy growled and spat in Roy's direction, missing him completely. Above him, Ed heard Ling stifle a snicker. "You're the one who sucks at life, skirt chaser."

"Cock sucker."

The insults went on as Envy retrieved his weapon, and Ed winced, turning back over to look up at Ling. "Do they do this often?" he asked. "When they're fighting, I mean?"

"Oh yeah," Ling replied, still smiling. "Though they seem to repeat all the old ones they use. So unoriginal, the both of them."

"Hm." Sighing, Edward stared back at the sky, squinting a bit because of the clouds' reflected brightness. Not for the first time, he realized how little he knew about Envy, and how comparatively short a time he had known the long-haired teenager. Just a little more than a month and a half, compared to the ten years he had known Russell. And they had only just acknowledged the possibility of a relationship a year ago, and had really fought to much to take advantage of any sexual tension that might have been between them...

Suddenly, a shadow fell over his face and he blinked. "Huh?"

"Something wrong, Ed?" Ling asked, his smile wavering slightly and then returning full force. "You don't look very happy."

"Er, it's nothing," Edward said hastily. He was spared from further explanation by another shout from the field. Ling's head retreated from his field of vision and he closed his eyes, resting an arm behind his head. Ignoring Ling's periodic comments and the persistent _thwack_-ing noises from the field, it was really quite nice here.

Actually, come to think of it, he hadn't heard anything for a while.

"Oh _shit_!" Roy shouted, and at the same time Ling grabbed Ed's shoulder and shook him, hard.

The blonde's eyes snapped open with a jolt. "What is it?" he asked, sitting upright and barely missing hitting Ling in the chin.

For once, the teenager's smile was gone, and he was looking oddly serious. "Look..." he said, pointing to the field. Ed looked.

Envy was kneeling on the dead brown grass, doubled over in pain with both hands pressed to one side of his face. Roy, looking panicked, was hovering over him, his lips mouthing words that Edward, some twenty feet away, was unable to hear. And both pine branches were lying abandoned on the ground. Although Ed did have above average intelligence, it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

Scrambling to his feet with a muffled curse, Edward hurried to the two of them, breaking into a run the last ten feet. "Shit!" he exclaimed, falling to his knees in front of Envy. "Shit, Roy, did you -"

"It wasn't my fault!" Roy snapped. Biting his lip, he took a deep, shaky breath. "I mean -"

"It really wasn't his fault," Envy said. His voice was quiet and muffled by his arms. "I was stupid. Forgot to block."

"Shit," Ed repeated as he pried Envy's hands away from his face. A shadow fell over him as Ling joined them, placing his fingers on Envy's shoulders. "_Oh_..."

There was a nasty looking welt directly under Envy's right eye, red on the edges and nearly white in the center. His nose was bleeding a little, as well, and his eye wasn't opened all the way - either from pain or from swelling, Edward couldn't tell.

"That's going to be a nasty bruise," Ling commented, and Edward nodded.

Roy was biting his lip. "Oh, _hell_," he swore. "Hell, Envy, I'm _so_ fucking sorry. Seriously, dude. Like -"

"Oh, shut up," Envy murmured, prodding gingerly at his cheek. "I mean, it hurts like all motherfucking get out, but I'll live, right?" He gave a painful grin in Roy's direction. "Help me up, you sadistic son of a bitch."

The dark-haired teenager gave a relieved grin as he stuck out a hand. "Sure thing, faggot."

Envy grabbed it and hoisted himself up, wincing as his head moved to the side. "Fuck," he muttered. "Feels like my brain got jostled around a bit." He took a few ginger steps to pick up his pine branch sword. "Now can I knock you over the head like that?"

"Hey, hey," Roy said, making a conciliatory gesture as Envy wobbled a bit. Edward hurried to his side to support him. "Come on, you need medical attention. Like, now."

"Nah." The long-haired teen waved a hand. "Just some ice, some rest, I'll be fine." His dazed smile said otherwise but Ed decided to believe him.

He hoisted Envy's arm over his shoulder, Ling hurrying to Envy's other side to support him from there, and beckoned Roy. "Oi, bastard, go unlock your car. We'll shove him inside and then you can take him home, or whatever."

"What, Edo, you're not coming?" Envy asked, his breath tickling the shell of Ed's ear.

The blonde twitched and jerked his head to the side. "Stop it," he muttered, knowing he was probably blushing furiously. "You're practically unconscious. And I don't want to make Roy drive farther than he has to."

"But what will you do, then, chibi?"

"Walk home," he replied shortly. "Please, go ice your face. Or else you're going to come to school tomorrow looking like one of the living dead."

"So _cold_," Envy said forlornly, giving a gusty sigh that ruffled Ed's bangs.

Edward jerked away again. "Hey!" They were coming close to the car and Ling backed away to let Ed help Envy inside. "Look," the blonde said, gently wiping a drop of blood from Envy's upper lip. "I'm sorry. It's just... this is weird for me. Us, um, being a... I mean, going... out? Kind of." He was blushing _furiously_, he was sure; he felt like he would be able to fry an egg on his face. "Er... you know?"

Although his eyes were still hazy and a welt obscured half of his face, Edward could see Envy blush as well. "Yeah," the long-haired teenager replied with a soft smile. He reached up a pale hand to touch Ed's cheek. "I know exactly what you mean."

Before he could even open his mouth to reply, he was pushed aside by Roy, who gave him a wink as he shut the door. "There'll be enough time for mushy stuff tomorrow," he said, "but Envy really needs to get back home."

"Right," Ed replied, rubbing at his flushed face in a vain effort to make it paler. "See you tomorrow, bastard."

Roy, sliding into the driver's seat, gave him a one-handed wave before pulling out of the parking lot.

---

Edward emptied his messenger bag onto his bed, its contents spilling out in a rush of textbooks, folders, loose papers, and assorted pens and pencils. Sighing, he flopped down next to the mess he had made, groping for his math homework while staring at the ceiling. Although he would be the last one to admit it (_especially_ to Roy or Ling), he was really worried about Envy. The blow to his head could have given him a concussion, or broken his cheekbone or his jaw, and if Roy just iced it then they would never know and not only would he be bruised the next day, but he would also be -

Growling, he sat bolt upright, grabbed his math textbook, and flipped it open with vigor. Page one hundred thirty two, he remembered the teacher telling them. Ugh, calculus.

Getting out a sheet of lined paper, he resolved to try to take his mind off Envy by doing his work. He was glad that Envy and Roy had 'corrupted' him (as Al had joked) so that he didn't stay for the cram classes anymore. After all, he was only staying in Japan for three months, half of his stay was already finished, and there was no way he would be taking a university exam in the spring. No way in _hell_. After the advanced curriculum with classes (apart from Barry's English class) taught in a foreign language, he was sure he had a decent chance at the exams in his own country.

And, he remembered, he wouldn't be taking those for another year.

So, anyway -

His thoughts were rapidly derailed when his door practically crashed open, giving a loud _bang_ and startling him so much that the pencil in his hand jolted and marked a thick, dark line across the paper. "Shit!" he cursed, whirling around. "Who -"

Pinako and Winry were standing together in his doorway, both wearing suspiciously identical smiles. "Good afternoon, Ed," they said in union.

"Er... hi?" the blonde attempted, giving his now-ruined homework a frustrated glance. He would have to start over again, and although he could just copy his previous answers it would still be more work and wasted time. "What are you two doing here?"

"Oh, nothing," Winry said innocently at the same time Pinako chuckled into her hand. "We just need to take a look at your prosthetics." Her grin grew wider.

Edward blinked. He saw nothing suspicious about that - after all, Pinako was an automail mechanic and Winry, essentially, was her apprentice. He recalled Winry saying something a long time ago about Pinako attempting to create artificial limbs that actually had a sense of touch. And she had also said that he was going to be the guinea pig for the experiment, so maybe... "Okay."

The two women remained in the doorway. "Your shirt," Winry said, giggling. "It needs to come off. "And your pants."

Giving the two of them a strange look, Edward proceeded to unbutton his white uniform shirt. He had no problem with the way his body looked, apart from the scars where they had attached the prosthetics, and those were just a matter of course. Looking at them in askance once more and seeing that neither Winry or Pinako appeared about to leave, he turned and removed his pants, trying to retain some semblance of dignity as he stripped down to his boxers. Finally, he turned back around. "Happy?"

"See, Granny?" Winry said, her smile growing (if possible) wider. "I was right! I told you he had a wonderful body."

Pinako nodded wisely. "You've been keeping in good shape, Ed," she commented.

Edward found himself blushing crimson. "U-Um, thank you," he stammered as the two women entered the room, tape measure at the ready. Winry stretched out his arm all the way, pulling until he could feel it in his shoulder blades and winced from the strain. Their measuring tape was bright white and contrasted with his gleaming silver prosthetics.

"Sixty-six centimeters, shoulder to fingertip," Pinako called out, and Winry dropped the measure to dive for the nearest paper (which happened to be Edward's ruined math assignment) and scribble down the number. Then she grabbed the tape measure again and knelt, and Ed felt her fingers tickling against his thigh as she stuck one end under his heel and stretched out the tape to the top of his automail.

"Sixty-four centimeters," the old woman said, "and now his foot."

Obediently, Winry crouched down and measured. "Twenty-three," she called, and Pinako wrote it down. "All right!" Still grinning, the bouncy blonde stood and gave Ed a pat on the head. "Very good, midget. You stand still quite nicely."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A -" Ed began, but was cut off abruptly by a wrench to the head. "Fu- _ow_," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "Where the hell did you pull that from?"

"Doesn't matter," Winry replied brightly. "I'm going to need it, anyway."

"Oh God, why?"

"Not to give your head another adjustment, if that's what you think," she replied, her grin turning from amused to slightly annoyed. "Although your brain could use a tune-up." Before Edward could retort, she continued, "Granny Pinako is letting me give you an automail tune-up."

Ed blinked, and then blinked again. The smallish old lady seemed to have left the room, shutting him in alone, half-naked, with an overly happy Winry. "She _what_?"

The wrench connected with his head a second time, and Edward saw stars. He shook his head to clear it (probably not the best idea, he realized later) and glared. "That was _highly_ unnecessary! What are you going to do to me? I demand my rights! I don't have to go through with this!"

"Yes you do," Winry replied briskly, grabbing his metal arm and twisting it up behind his back, shoving Ed towards the bed. "Lie on your stomach, and don't move. Or it'll hurt more than it has to."

"Wait," Edward said, his words muffled by Winry, who shoved his face into the pillow. "Hurt? What are you going to -"

He was cut off by a horrible feeling of tightening in his right arm. Wincing, he gritted his teeth and dug his face further into the pillow, trying his hardest not to clench his fist. He had no idea what Winry was doing, but he knew that he could have really gone without it.

But several agonizing minutes later, he was sitting up again and curling his automail fingers into a fist, then straightening them, shaking out his wrist and rotating his shoulder. "Wow..." he said, impressed despite himself. "This feels really good!"

"Great!" Winry replied happily. "I was a little nervous, since that was my first time giving a tune-up..."

"Your first time?" Ed asked incredulously. "And Pinako just let you -"

"All _right_," Winry said loudly, ignoring his skepticism. "Now it's time for your leg!"

Edward blanched. "Are you kidding me? But I'm -"

"Too young to die?" The blonde mechanic gave him a sharp rap on the head. "Shut it, midget."

---

"Envy's not here today," Roy said as soon as a worried looking Edward made his way into the cafeteria. He glanced up at Ed's face, paler than normal, and grim set lips. "I suppose you noticed already, huh?"

Placing his tray down on the table and taking a seat, Ed replied, "Yeah." He glanced down at the unappealing rice taking up more than half his plate, and then back at Roy's dark, knowing eyes. "Um... where is he?" There was a pause, in which the dark-haired teenager said nothing and Edward found himself growing increasingly worried. "Is he all right? Sick? Did he have to go to the hospital? He had better be okay, Roy, because if not I'm blaming _you_ and then I'll come after _you_ with a giant branch and beat _you_ over the head with it so _you _-"

Roy's mouth twitched, and then he suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh, shortie," he said when he had finally calmed down (ignoring Ed's rant of "I AM NOT SHORT AND NEVER CALL ME THAT EVER AGAIN!"); "you're so cute."

Apparently, he was impervious to Ed's patented golden-eyed Look of Death. "Fuck. You."

"No, really." He waved a lazy hand. "You were so worried! I mean, I almost feel bad now - not for hitting him, I already felt bad for that," he amended swiftly, "but for letting you stew like that. Ah ha ha..."

"Okay, so, really," Edward said with a deadpan expression. "What's up with Envy?"

"No, no, come on - beg!"

"_Roy_..."

The dark-haired teenager broke off into snickering, hiding his mouth behind his hand. When it became apparent that Ed was, in fact, _not_ amused, and on the verge of hitting him or inflicting some other type of unpleasant corporeal punishment, he shook his head. "Fine, fine. He's at his sister Sloth's house. Said you should come meet him after school, so you can admire his nasty bruise."

"Sloth's house?" Ed asked curiously, after taking a moment to absorb his feelings of sincere relief. "She lives alone?"

A nod. "In an apartment, yeah. It's really actually very nice. She must make good money, doing..." He coughed. "Doing whatever she does. Anyway, yeah. You just take the train to Central and it's really close to the Youswell station."

"Youswell..." It sounded familiar, but Ed hadn't been in the city much and still wasn't quite sure where everything was. "Um..."

"There's a map in my backpack," Roy replied dismissively. "The train's only like, fifteen minutes but I have a feeling Envy and Sloth are going to keep you longer than you'd like. So I suggest telling that cute chick Winry or your brother."

Edward blinked. "Cute? You think Winry's cute?"

"Sure," Roy replied nonchalantly. Ed saw him glance sidelong down the table, where the smiling Riza Hawkeye sat next to Havoc and seemed to be engaging Fuery in some kind of animated discussion. "For a sophomore, you know."

"Right..." Edward replied, waving to Havoc when the blonde baseball player noticed him staring and caught his eye. "For a sophomore."

"What can I say?" the dark-haired teenager replied with a maudlin sigh, resting his chin on his hands and directing his melancholy gaze towards the ceiling. "You know - well, I _assume_ Envy's told you pretty much everything..."

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Your doomed love for your good friend's girlfriend..." He gave an unsympathetic shrug. "Sorry, it happens."

Roy glared at him. "You _could_ be a little more caring."

"Why?" Ed asked, giving a cheeky grin. "_You_ could be less of a bastard, but you're not, right? So why should I cut you any slack?"

"Why should you..." Roy repeated, muttering darkly. "You little..."

Ed narrowed his eyes, even though he was on the verge of laughing. "_Don't_ call me little."

---

Around four-thirty, Edward found himself knocking at the door of a small, dilapidated looking flat. The directions he had received from Roy were vague to say the least, even when the teenager had elaborated upon his earlier statements after school. Ed had wandered around the Resembul subway station for nearly half an hour, and meandered about Central for even longer. But he had made it eventually (though he couldn't help the nagging feeling that he had been tested by Roy).

Sloth opened the door for him with a smile. Today she was dressed in another patchwork skirt, this one made up of rainbow colors, and a black shirt advertising some kind of anime. Her pale arms were bare aside from multiple bangles, and her light brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. Not for the first time, Ed thought that she looked absolutely nothing like Envy.

"Good afternoon," she said with a smile, placing one hand on her stomach in the universal gesture of soon-to-be mothers. "Envy and I were beginning to worry you weren't going to show up."

"Oh," Edward replied with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "Sorry about that. Roy didn't give me very good directions and I kinda got lost along the way... You know..." He could feel himself blushing a little. "Sorry," he said again.

The brunette laughed a little. "It's all right. It was mostly Envy that was worried." She leaned close in an almost conspiratorial fashion. "You see, he hasn't had much luck in any sort of love life, being, um... gay. And so he's always worried that you're going to leave him."

For a moment, Edward was amused, until the full import of Sloth's words hit him. "But I _am_ going to leave him," he replied, unconsciously grabbing his automail wrist and holding it tightly with his other hand. "I'm going to leave at the end of March."

"I know."

"But -"

Sloth's smile faded, but didn't disappear. Instead, it grew even more enigmatic. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," she said finally. "As long as you're here for him now..."

Ed looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "I am here for him now," he said, and Sloth opened the door wider for him. "I just..."

His misgivings remained unvoiced when Sloth gave him a little push into the apartment. "That's all I need to here," she replied softly. "Go on in."

Sighing, and wondering at how his former happiness had evaporated so suddenly, Edward stepped into the room. _Just when I start to feel like I belonged_, he thought, _I get reminded that all of this is going to be taken away from me._

_But happiness for a little while is better than no happiness at all, right...?_

---

Sloth's apartment, for all that it looked run down and dubious on the outside, was clean and well-furnished, albeit eccentric, on the inside. Colorful cloth tapestries covered delicately painted white walls, each such an array of color that Edward began to wonder whether she made them herself - they resembled her skirts so much that they could have been cut from the same pattern. The living room proved to be a lush, semi-tropical forest, with potted ferns, bamboo, and other miscellaneous cuttings placed strategically throughout the room. Though the two windows were small, they were clean and airy, providing warm sunlight and the illusion of more space.

Envy was seated cross-legged on the couch, staring at the television with an abstracted expression on his face. At the sound of Edward's arrival, he looked up, his eyes shining with excitement and, also, relief. Ed had to wince at the bruise on his face. Purple-black and turning blue around the edges, it covered the right side of his face, not quite close enough to be a black eye but still horribly painful looking.

"Shit, Envy..." Edward stopped and pressed a hand to his own face in the approximate location of Envy's bruise. "Doesn't it hurt?" he asked, horrified.

The long-haired teenager attempted a crooked smile, which turned into more of a wince than anything. "Not really," he replied, probably lying. "It's gotten better, actually. Hurt like a _bitch_ last night but now I've gotten used to it."

"But you stayed home from school today..."

"Not home," Envy said dismissively. "Here. There's a _huge_ difference."

"Still -"

For the second time in minutes, Edward found himself being cut off, this time by Envy. "Oh, come on, chibi," he laughed, using his nickname for Ed for the first time in a long while. "It's not that big of a deal. I'll steal some of Sloth's concealer and fix it before I go to school tomorrow. Now," he patted the cushion next to him with a small smirk, "come."

Still feeling a bit worried, Edward stepped over a scattered pile of books, manga, and magazines to move to the couch. Envy wiggled over just a little - enough to give him room but still close enough that their thighs would have to touch. Ed was already blushing as he took a seat.

"Um..." he began awkwardly, his train of thought rapidly derailing as Envy's slim fingers traced patterns on his knee. "Um..."

"Yes?" Envy asked, his voice breathy but his eyes glittering with mischief. "If you have something to say, spit it out." His fingers continued their absentminded movement.

Edward glanced down at Envy's hand, back at Envy's face, then at the television, which was currently playing the news. (He thought he recognized Ling's so-called aunt.) "Er..." He gulped. "Why did you ask Roy to bring me here?"

"Why not?" the long-haired teenager questioned silkily, leaning close so that his breath tickled Ed's ear. "Did you not want to see me again? Do you regret doing this? Did you suddenly remember your girlfriend, waiting for you back in Germany?"

"I -" Ed's attention was divided between Envy's words and his hand, which was slowly moving up his thigh. He squirmed a bit, uncomfortable, and tried to digest the teenager's words. "I -" he began again, at a loss for words. "Ah... Um... I don't quite see..."

"You don't quite see what?" Envy asked, his half-lidded violet eyes smoldering. "What I'm doing? Because -"

Finally, getting frustrated, Edward smacked Envy's hand away and scooted to as close to the end of the couch as possible, nearly impaling himself on the padded armrest. "Will you stop that?" he said impatiently, his words coming out with more force than he intended. "You've had the courtesy to act like a decent human being for the past month and a half, and now we're back to how it was when we first met?" _Only with a hell of a lot more sexual innuendo_, Ed added mentally, not wanting to say it aloud and either offend or amuse Envy. "What is _up _with you?"

Envy looked more than slightly hurt. "_I _should be the one asking that," he replied, suddenly glaring. "You _know_ you're going to be leaving at the end of March." His purple stare was accusing, though his eyes were glimmering more than usual - with tears? ...Drugs?

"I- I know," Ed stammered, wondering what kind of situation he had gotten himself into. "I... I thought you knew too. You do, right? I've never kept it a secret - you know I'm the exchange student. You should -"

"Should _what_?! Do you think I actually _think_ about those kinds of things when I find someone who hears my story and doesn't look at me with disgust? Someone who wants to be my friend even after he gets beat up for it? Someone who- who _kisses_ me and it was the first -" He bit his lip and cut himself off, tearing his eyes away from Ed's transfixed expression. "It's not... It's not _easy_, okay? There are some things I don't want to think about. Don't want to be reminded about. But then... someone does... and..." He heaved a deep breath and Edward realized that Envy really was close to tears. Apparently, the long-haired teenager realized it as well, dashing a hand across his eyes, heedless of the bruise on his face. "I'm acting like a fucking _girl_," he spat. "_You _make me act like a fucking girl."

"I... That's..." To be completely honest with himself, Edward wasn't really sure of what to say. He had been aware of the problems with their relationship from the start, but had gone ahead with it anyway, trying to fool himself that it didn't matter, that it would turn out all right in the end. Now, Envy's outburst was forcing him to realize that he couldn't live with this kind of delusion forever. And, apparently, neither could Envy. He hovered awkwardly on the edge of his seat, wondering if Sloth was eavesdropping on the two of them from one of the adjoining rooms.

There was silence for a few minutes, broken only by Envy's periodic, shuddering breaths as he tried to regain his composure and not break down in tears. Eventually, Edward reached out a tentative hand and placed it on Envy's shoulder. The teenager tensed but didn't shrug it off, and the blonde took that as a positive sign. Hesitantly, he trailed his fingers across Envy's collarbone, feeling the warmth of the smooth skin under the thin fabric of his long-sleeved shirt, and then up to the teenager's chin, tilting his face up until Envy's eyes were forced to meet his own.

They were red and shining with unshed tears, but still fierce. Ed's heart began to beat involuntarily faster, and Envy caught his breath. "Look," Edward began, doing his best to keep his voice firm. "I know I'm... I'm going to leave for Germany in about a month. And I don't think I can stay - I don't think I have any choice in the matter. It's not something I can..." He took a deep breath, inhaling Envy's lavender scent. "Not just something I can decide for myself."

Envy jerked his head away. "Then why the _hell_ are we doing this?" he asked angrily. "I don't want to be left her alone like some stupid piece of baggage. And if you go... I'm going to be alone. And it's going to be worse because I was alone before, but - _fuck_." He slammed his fist down. It sank unsatisfyingly into the soft pillows.

"No," Ed replied, not even sure of what he was saying anymore. "No. You won't be alone. Never. Because, as soon as I can, I'll come back. For you. When I graduate high school in another year... Or if I can get another exchange opportunity... I'll be back. I swear. I'll be back." And yet, he thought, hating himself, he didn't know if he would want to come back, much less whether he would even be able to come back. But, at the moment, he needed the promise as much as Envy did.

"You're a liar," Envy whispered, turning back to wrap his arms around Edward. He buried his face in Ed's neck as the blonde stroked his hair. "A stupid, fucking, liar."

Envy's next words were so soft that Ed wasn't sure whether he had heard them at all.

"_If I didn't like you so much, I think I'd hate you_."

* * *

...What the hell. That was unexpected. God, Envy, way to ruin everything. And Ed - you're being such a bastard. Geez. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. But that's the same way it's been for the past twenty chapters so, hey, whatever. I don't care anymore. Characters, take me where you will.  
-cough- Anyway. I wrote the last two sections from six til seven in the morning after being up since four-fifteen studying for my history final. Wish me luck, guys, because I'm taking it in... -checks watch- approximately two hours. (What kind of idiot writes _fanfiction_ before the hardest final she's going to take? Again: what the hell?) So, yeah. Haha. Please review and make my day and encourage me to get to work on the next chapter.


	22. Whatever Will Be, Will Be

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** School started again... Maybe I wouldn't be so bogged down with work if I had gotten something done over Christmas break.

WARNING: Don't stay up til three in the morning on a Sunday night. Just... don't.

Songs: 'We Can Work It Out' by _The Beatles_, 'I Wanna' by _The All-American Rejects_, 'Que Sera, Sera' as performed by _Pink Martini_

Ladidah~ I meant to update this over Christmas break but Potions for Foxes challenged me to an updating contest for my other Edvy fic (_Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous_), and what could I do but accept? So I'm sorry for not giving you a new chapter as a Christmas present, or something like that, not that I would have anyway.... -cough-

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**  
_Whatever Will Be, Will Be_

"So, basically, I'm a jerk," Ed concluded, leaning his head back against the cool metal of the shelf and staring at the ceiling.

He could hear Hughes shuffling around some papers on his small desk. Eventually the man coughed. "I suppose that sums it up rather well," he said evenly, his voice belying no underlying emotion. It made Ed slightly nervous and he shifted a little in his place.

They were in the small janitor's closet, which also served as a supply room for most of the teachers, during Ed's lunch hour. Although things between him and Envy had smoothed over, so to speak, he felt like he wanted to talk things over with someone else. Someone who was an adult and would therefore maybe take him seriously - both stipulations automatically excluded Roy and Ling, and, of course, Envy. And the only adult he could think of confiding in was Hughes.

Ed was beginning to think that this kind of conversation hadn't been such a great idea after all. "I don't need you to _agree_ with me," he told the man, exasperated. "I need you to give me _advice_." He glanced over to where Hughes was seated, hand on his chin and glasses tilted low on his nose. "Come on."

The man chuckled. "Honestly, Ed, I don't know why you're asking me something like this. You like Envy, Envy himself fell for you a long time ago, and you're leaving next month. What can I do about it?"

"What can anyone do about it?" Ed sighed, slumping even lower so that more than half of his upper body was in contact with the floor. Idly, he tapped his prosthetic fingers against the floor with a series of hollow sounding clunks.

Clearing his throat, Hughes pushed his chair back with his feet so that it slid across the floor to allow him a closer look at Ed. "If you wanted advice, why didn't you go to a woman? Like Gracia - I mean, Principal Elointon. She would be much better at this than I am."

Ed stared listlessly at the white-painted brick wall across from him. "She's the principal."

There was a small pause, until Hughes conceded, "Well, I suppose there's that." The janitor shrugged. "Okay. How about this - what do you _want_ to do?"

The blonde sat up slightly. "What do you mean, what _I_ want to do?" he asked, frustrated. "It doesn't matter what I -"

"Uh uh uh," Hughes admonished, shaking a finger at him. "What you think _always_ matters. So, tell me - _if_ it was all up to you, I mean, whether or not you went back to Germany, what would you _choose_ to do?"

Edward froze. His choice. If he could do anything, choose anything, what would it be? "Um..." he muttered, stalling for time. "Um..." Friends or Russell? That was an easy choice. Pinako or Hohenheim? Another no-brainer.

Envy or... home?

Slowly, he sat up all the way and leaned against the bookshelves again, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them, assuming a pose much like one he would imagine Envy taking. "You know," he said slowly, "I never really thought I could be gay."

"You're avoiding the question," Hughes pointed out dryly.

"I _know_ that, just listen to me!" Ed snapped. He took a deep breath. "Sorry. Anyway, so I never thought I could be gay. I don't, you know, _look_ at boys like that. Except..."

He paused and Hughes, leaning forward and steepling his fingers, waited for him to continue.

"Except," Ed said finally, "Envy." He bit his lip and resolved to be completely honest with Hughes, as uncomfortable as that might make him. Because if he was honest with Hughes, it meant he was being honest with himself as well. Finally.

"I like him. A lot," he admitted. "And I like thinking that we could be together forever. But at the same time, I _know_, in my head, that that's probably never going to happen."

"Why not?" Hughes questioned. "I believe in true love."

"Because!" Ed nearly shouted. He took a moment to calm himself. _Breathe. You're getting too worked up about this. Breathe, and don't blame it on Hughes. This is your mess_. "Because I've never _been_ in love before, so I have no idea what it feels like. So I don't even know if I _love_ him. I mean, what _is_ love, anyway? And will I _know_? It's not like there's some little, little - hell, it's not like it's written on a billboard for the world to read. I'm supposed to know, I think, but - I'm _seventeen years old_. Nearly eighteen. Not nearly old enough."

For once, the janitor's perpetually sardonic smile was replaced by a thoughtful look. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "You know, Ed, sometimes I think that no matter how old you get, you'll never know for sure what love is."

"I figured," Ed replied, half sarcastic.

"_But_," Hughes continued, shooting the blonde a slightly disapproving look for the interruption. "When love _happens_, you'll be able to figure it out. And the fact that you're confused is a good thing, too. It means you're one step closer to knowing what you feel." He grinned. "It was like that with me and Gracia. Sometimes I loved the feeling, sometimes I hated it. But I never hated _her_. And now I'm getting ready to spend the rest of my life with her."

Edward sat up, eyes wide with surprise. "_You're_ getting _married_?" he asked, loudly and incredulously.

Hughes tapped the side of his nose. "Hopefully, though I haven't asked yet."

Before Ed could question him further, the bell for the next class rang. He stood almost automatically, and shrugged on his backpack. When he was nearly out the door, he suddenly remembered another question. "Seriously, though, Hughes," he said. "How will I _know_? _Before_ the end of March?"

This time, the janitor smiled for real. "It will all come out at the spring festival."

"What?" Ed asked, not quite sure what a seasonal celebration had to do with love. "What do you mean?"

"Trust me, Ed," Hughes replied, shooing him out the door. "Just wait, and you'll know for sure."

Edward left the office more confused than before - but, he realized, talking to Hughes hadn't been a bad idea at all.

---

Dial tone. _Again_. Ed jabbed the 'End Call' button and slammed the phone down onto his nightstand, falling back onto his bed with an exasperated groan. It was Sunday, their free day, the day they always took to hang out, and Envy wasn't picking up. When he tried Roy as a last ditch measure, the dark-haired teenager's phone was off. And Ling... didn't have a cell phone. Or, if he did, Ed didn't have his number.

He groaned again and rolled over, burying his face in the blankets. He had talked to Hughes on Friday, hung out with Envy on Saturday like everything was normal, but now he was being ignored. And he didn't know why. His first thought, obviously, was that he had done something wrong. Then his rational brain took over - _You haven't done anything or said anything. He's probably busy. Maybe he's with Sloth. Maybe he's taking some time out with his family_.

That sounded reasonable. But - _He never talks about his family, and the only ones I know for sure are Sloth and that creepy senior, Greed_. He paused. _And then there was that dark-haired one, Lust, and the fat one, Gluttony, was it...?_

Edward was beginning to realize he didn't know anything about Envy, aside from what the teenager had told him, or what he had observed of him in their time together. And wasn't there some kind of saying that you had to know someone to love them? Or was it that you loved someone _until_ you actually knew them? Or did it even matter?

He picked up the phone again, punching in the first three digits of Envy's number. Then, sighing, he stopped and stared at the numbers, blinking black on the green screen. What was the point? If Envy checked his phone, he would see three missed calls from Ed. And maybe he would feel bad, and maybe he wouldn't. And maybe he would call back, and maybe he wouldn't. It was out of Edward's hands, now.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," he said listlessly, pressing the red 'End Call' button once more and placing the phone back on the nightstand.

The door was opened hesitantly, meaning that it was either Winry or Al with something on his mind. Pinako would have come in with authority, and when Al was in a good mood and knew Ed was too, he would just barge in whenever he wanted. And when Ed turned his head to see who had entered, he found he was right - Winry stood in his doorway with an uncomfortable smile on her face. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," Ed replied without any real feeling. "What's up?"

She took a few more steps inside, socked feet padding quietly on the floor. "Nothing, really," she replied. "Granny's in the garage working on some automail but I didn't have anything to do and I was bored...." Her voice trailed off. "Mind if I hang out with you?"

"It's fine," Ed said automatically, then paused. "...Where's Al?"

"Didn't you know?" Out of the corner of his eye, Ed saw her raise an eyebrow. "He's going on a trip with his science class, to the museum. It's an extra credit thing." She took a seat at his desk chair, flipping through his chemistry textbook but otherwise leaving his things alone. "He's getting _involved_ with school."

Edward lifted up his head to stare at her, his vision partially obscured by the blonde bangs that hung down nearly to his chin. "Was that supposed to make me feel bad or something?"

The girl looked far too innocent with her small smile and slight shrug. "Hmm. I wonder."

He glared at her for a few more minutes, then let his head flop back down to the mattress. His next words came after a silence of more than a minute, and were muffled by his comforter. "Winry, am I stupid?"

"Of course you are; you're a boy," she replied with an eye roll, then, when Ed didn't laugh, sobered. "Why do you ask?"

"Because," he replied, wondering why he was confiding in her. But he had been confiding in _everyone_; it wasn't like another person knowing his conflict would make a very big difference. "Because. I somehow managed to get in a relationship with Envy no-last-name, and I'm leaving at the end of- at the end of this month, actually." He felt his chest constrict with the realization that it was already March 2 and his time with Envy was rapidly fading away. "And he's not coming back to Germany with me."

"Oh," Winry said, then repeated it. "_Oh_. I see where you're coming from." She bit her lip.

"Yeah," Ed replied. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing." He voiced a thought that had lain dormant in him since his heart-to-heart with Hughes. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't taken this trip in the first place. That way I wouldn't have even met him, and I wouldn't have to deal with all this... shit."

"True," the girl replied noncommittally. "But you would have missed out on a lot of other things, too. Al was telling me what it was like back when you two were in Germany." She paused, and shot Ed a sympathetic look. "It didn't sound fun."

Ed imagined his stare boring holes in the rug on the floor. "We're going back to that in all of twenty-nine days," he pointed out. "For better or for worse. Whether we like it or not. Even if we wanted to stay longer, we'd have to deal with expiring visas and passports and finances and education and stuff like that. And I'm not old enough." At Winry's pained look, he added, "Sorry."

"Do you..." She bit her lip and twirled a strand of blonde hair in an abstracted way. "If both of you could - do you think..."

He knew what she was going to say before she even finished her sentence, and, for once, knew exactly what to say in reply, too. "Al's told me several times that he wants to be a teacher when he grows up. And when he does, I'm sure he'd love to come back to Japan - maybe to teach English!" He laughed. "He's tri-lingual, you know, since his first language is German."

"I _know_ that," Winry snapped. "Don't treat me like an idiot." But her eyes were shining happily, and Ed knew he had made the right decision in talking about Al instead of himself. Placing one foot on the seat of her chair, she used the other one to spin herself around aimlessly. "...Thanks, Ed."

There was another silence, in which Edward flipped over on his back so that his head was hanging upside down over the edge of the bed. His braid dangled towards the floor and he could feel the blood rushing towards his head. "Why are you and Pinako here?" he asked finally. "Instead of back in Germany. I know she used to live there..."

"Her job," Winry explained with a shrug. "It's more profitable to make automail here than in Germany, and, anyway, all the new biomedical advances in prosthetic technology are happening here. By the time Granny had learned enough Japanese to be able to pack up and move, my parents had died and I was just along with the ride."

It was Ed's turn to utter a soft, "Oh." He scooted back a little on the bed to allow his head to rest on the mattress, thoroughly disarranging his blankets in the process. "It would have been cool if you had stayed in Germany," he said, directing his words at the ceiling instead of meeting Winry's eyes. "You, me, Al - we all could have been best friends. Neighbors. Playmates. Hell, Winry, maybe I would have fallen for _you _and all this confusion with Envy wouldn't even exist." He sighed heavily.

Winry giggled. "That would have been nice," she replied. "Except it would be better if you wouldn't fall for me. I have Al."

"It could be the biggest love triangle in Munich," Ed replied. "The whole city would take sides and riot."

"Who'd side with _you_, Ed?"

"Oh, because you and Al are _so _much better." He stuck out his tongue at Winry.

"Of course we are. Two blondes are better than one."

"That's not what they say in blonde jokes," Ed retorted, grinning in spite of himself. It was nice, talking to Winry like this. He could get used to it.

It was funny, he thought, that at the beginning of January he would have never even _considered_ spending time with Winry like this, just talking. He would either be lying stiffly in an awkward silence, or wishing angrily that she would just leave. He had never imagined she would turn out to be a friend worth having - a close friend, even.

Then again, he hadn't imagined a _lot_ of things that would happen on this trip. And there were still twenty-nine more days. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he decided, _Why worry now, when I have a whole month? Why not make the most of things when I have the chance, and deal with the rest when I come to it?_

Why not, indeed.

---

"You can shower first," Envy said, tossing Ed a slightly bedraggled white towel that looked like it had seen better days. He didn't raise his arms to catch it in time so it ended up hitting him in the face. "Sorry."

"No problem," Ed replied, making a face as he slipped out of his karate gi top, so that he was standing in his black tank top and his pants. When he looked over at Envy, the long-haired teenager was blushing. "What's wrong?"

Envy looked away. "Why don't you get undressed in the bathroom, hm?"

Now it was Edward's turn to blush and laugh a little. "Right. Sorry."

After karate class on Thursday, Envy had grabbed him by the wrist and practically towed him to his car. When Edward had protested, asking where the hell they were going, he received no reply - only some inane chatter about the newest single by Dir en Gray, and how Envy loved their style. And then... he had found himself being practically shoved into Sloth's small, cheerfully covered apartment.

His last memories of this place weren't great ones, Ed thought as he puzzled out how to turn on the water without scalding himself. That had been last week, when they had finally faced the truth about their relationship. Ed still hadn't fully come to terms with what he was going to do at the end of March - but, then again, what else was new? He had resolved not to worry about it and that was what he was going to do - but he wondered what Envy had been thinking throughout their awkward silences in the car.

Finally, the water spluttered on and Ed shrugged off the remainder of his clothing to step under the relaxing stream of water. The only shampoo available was Sloth's two-in-one shampoo and conditioner variety complete with fruity smelling lather, but he supposed it was all right. He had always rather liked the scent of lavender.

_What the hell am I doing here?_ Ed wondered, not for the first time. Envy had been wearing that shifty look, like when he had a plan. And an Envy with a plan, Ed had learned, wasn't necessarily a good thing. But it was nice that he was able to shower and change his clothes somewhere that wasn't the steamy, crowded men's locker room or a dodgy restaurant downtown. Nice, but...

He heaved a gusty sigh, gave his hair one last rinse, and stepped out of the shower. The mirror was fogged up but he used a hand to wipe it off and gaze dully at his reflection. He was tired, he was hungry, and he was desperately trying not to think about what Envy could possibly want with him alone, in a strange apartment, at night. He was trying desperately to trust Envy's basic goodness and trustworthiness, but...

Shit.

---

When he got out of the shower, hair dripping onto his shoulders, he found Envy lounging on Sloth's small, dilapidated couch, watching some animated show on television. The long-haired teenager grinned and stood. "You took forever, Edo," he said, using his old nickname for Ed. "You shower like a girl."

Edward yawned, too tired to sputter his usual denial. Instead, he settled for a flat, "Shut up," before taking Envy's vacated seat. He let the sound from the television wash over him as he closed his eyes and stared at the ceiling. It was late for a school night, nearly eight-thirty, and he probably needed to be getting home soon. He wondered what Al and the Rockbells would think if he showed up on their doorstep around one in the morning, then thought that 'Al and the Rockbells' sounded like some kind of band. They would probably perform old time big band music, and Al would be the singer...

His thoughts trailed off aimlessly, and the next thing he knew, he opened his eyes to see Envy's violet ones staring back down at him.

"Yaaah!" Startled, Ed shot bolt upright with a yell, flailing. He clutched at his chest, gasping. "Shit... Envy, don't scare me like that. Ever again. _Please_." His heart felt like it was going to pound its way out of his chest. "Shit."

Envy tried to paste a contrite look onto his face, but the mischievous glint in his eyes gave the lie to his expression. "Sorry. I was just about to wake you..."

Now that he had calmed down a bit, Ed realized that the television had been turned off while he slept. He glanced at the clock on the VCR - nine-fifteen. "Shit," he said again. "Envy, why are we here? I _know_ Al doesn't know that I'm going to be out late and I wasn't expecting to be taken here so I never told Pinako or Winry and I'm -"

"Don't worry," Envy replied, waving a hand nonchalantly. "I told Winry at school. That you were going to be home late." He paused for a moment, thoughtfully. "Y'know, she seems to be acting nicer towards me. Which is funny, because I'm not sure if you noticed but she's kinda generally a bitch when it comes to stuff about me. But she smiled at me. And stuff." He shrugged. "Not that I care, but it's weird. I wonder what changed her mind."

Ed couldn't resist rolling his eyes a bit. "Yeah, I wonder," he replied sarcastically, standing and stretching. Deciding it was best that Envy didn't know Winry's depth of feeling for him (or rather, her _former_ depth of feeling, since now her attention seemed to be concentrated completely on Al), he changed the subject quickly. "Uh, I'm really hungry..."

"Come on," Envy said, making his way across the living room to a darkened doorway. "Sloth always keeps stuff in the kitchen... We'll just have to ransack the fridge or something."

The tiny kitchen was flooded with moonlight from the large window that looked out onto a roadway and then an empty field. "Wow," Edward said, hearing Envy rummaging through the refrigerator behind him as he placed both hands on the windowsill and pressed his nose to the glass. "This is a lot of space!"

"This part of Central is expanding pretty rapidly," Envy told him, "so they're probably going to develop there soon. I guess it's best to enjoy the view now... Oh, look."

Ed turned to see him holding up a plastic container full of an unidentifiable substance. "What is it?" he asked, stifling another yawn and rubbing at his eyes.

"Some kind of pork, I think," Envy replied, frowning and cracking the lid open. "Smells alright. I think it's tonkatsu. Yum." He tossed the container over to the counter and the microwave. "Other than that... there's nothing in the fridge." He heaved a gusty sigh. "I suppose I should've expected it... Whatever." Ed watched with half-closed eyes as the long-haired teenager opened a cupboard and stood on tiptoe to peer inside. "Hey, ramen!" Taking down a few slightly dusty packages, Envy shot Ed a grin. "It'll be a feast!"

Yawning again - karate today had been tough, and he probably hadn't been getting enough sleep for the past week - Ed leaned both elbows on the windowsill and watched Envy fill a pot with water. He would have offered to help but ramen was an easy dish to make and Envy would only have to microwave the tonkatsu. He seemed content to do that on his own, which made Ed frown. "You're being really nice today..." he said slowly. When Envy looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, he amended his statement hastily. "I mean, it's a good thing, but it's just... rather out of character for you. Don't you think?"

"Whaat, I can't be nice to you once in a while?" the long-haired teenager asked, turning on the stove so that the water could boil. He shuffled over to where Ed was leaning on the windowsill, bare feet making shuffling noises against the tile. "But I suppose you're right." With a sigh, he gazed out into the open field, where the full moon illuminated the yellowed grasses. "It's just..." He paused, and when he gave no sign of continuing Ed turned to join him in staring out the window.

"It's just what?" he asked, watching his breath fog the glass as he spoke. He had a sinking feeling that he knew what Envy was going to say.

But the long-haired teenager surprised him by slumping to lean against him heavily. Ed staggered a bit as nearly Envy's full weight came to rest on his shoulder. "I wish you were staying for all of spring," he said, so quietly that Ed had to strain to hear him. "The cherry blossoms are prettiest in April."

"Really?" Edward asked, as Envy's hand found his, lying on the windowsill, and clasped it.

"Yeah. Everyone loves spring here. No matter how girly Roy says it is, me and him and Ling always go on a cherry blossom viewing picnic in April. And you could come too, if..."

"If I was staying, huh?" The blonde turned his hand over so that their fingers were intertwined, and gave Envy's hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

They remained silent for several minutes, the only sound in the room the soft hissing of the stove and occasional gurgle from the pipes. It was nice, Ed thought, to be here with Envy. His weight was comforting, and his scent - lavender, from Sloth's shampoo - was soothing to Ed's tired brain. It was nice.

"It's nice," Envy said, echoing Ed's previous thoughts so closely that the blonde started a bit. "Nice being with you here, I mean," the teenager amended, seeming to misinterpret Ed's gesture somehow. "I know I shouldn't, but... I could get used to this."

"Yeah..." Ed replied, closing his eyes and feeling all of his previous doubts crashing back down on him. "Me too..."

Abruptly, Envy straightened, grinning. "But you know what, Ed? I've decided that I don't give a flying fuck anymore."

Nonplussed, Ed could only stare. "What...?"

"I mean it! I don't care if you're leaving in twenty-three days! I'm not going to think about it. With you, I have to take it or leave it, and I decided that I'm going to take it. Meaning that I'm going to feel whatever I want to feel, say whatever I want to say, even if it's - it's -" He turned on his heel and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Okay, fine, I don't think I can say 'I love you' just yet, and I don't know if I will, but... I'm just going to go ahead, with whatever. Like I've always done."

Stunned, and not quite sure what to say, Ed settled for standing in place, gaping stupidly.

"Look, Ed, what I mean to say is..." Envy smiled, and it was one of his _genuine_ smiles - spreading slowly and not very wide, but lighting up his whole face nonetheless. "Whatever's gonna to happen - it's gonna happen whether we like it or not. So I'm just along for the ride, and I might as well make the most of it, right?" He swallowed, and stuck out a hand. "You will too, okay? Deal?"

Nodding, and feeling an answering smile spread across his own face, Ed took Envy's hand and shook it. "Deal."

"But with that said," Envy added, surprising Ed, "_no sex_." Apparently interpreting Ed's embarrassed silence as indignation, he blushed crimson and fidgeted a little. "I mean - you're only here for twenty-three more days, right? And you're going to have to leave. And I like you, and all, but... I don't want to get _that_ attached. I mean, I have nothing against, you know, with you, and stuff, but just... You can sleep here tonight and everything but we're not going to be doing... anything... Not that it would be bad or unwelcome or anything like that, I mean, it's kind of a morning after problem which sounds stupid, I know, but it's the only way I can explain..."

Ed had never seen Envy so embarrassed, not even when Roy was making innuendoes about the two of them. He stifled a laugh and stuck out his hand again for Envy to shake. "Deal," he said, to the long-haired teenager's enormous relief. "And Envy?" He gestured towards the stove. "The water's about to boil over."

* * *

Ooh, lovely place to end a chapter. I've finally come up with a reason why there will be no smut in this fanfic. Didja catch it? Anyway, I remember last chapter I said something about taking a history final in a couple hours, and a lot of you darlings wished me luck! It was so nice of you all, really. And (this is the only place I'm bragging about it, really) I got a ninety-four on the test. Which is an A. Which was the only A in my class (I mean there were a couple A-'s and stuff but still. It was the highest grade.) Thank you all for your support! -giggle-  
Um, so, same old same old - read and review and I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP!


	23. Marching Orders

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** 'Twas never mine, alack to say,/ but maybe if I get rich someday,/ I'll buy the manga all the way,/ and I will be the one they pay.

WARNING: My rhyming skills suck. -points up- Emo poetry was invented for people like me.

Songs: 'Your Call' by _Secondhand Serenade_, 'Blur' by _Zebrahead_

Song choices are kind of arbitrary, at this point. It's eleven thirty and I want to sleep. (By the way, I write these author notes after I've finished the chapter, usually.) Anyway, I'm sorry for the really really long update wait. My goal was to get this done by the end of March but that might not happen. I'd honestly settle with the end of April... Ugh. This chapter is dedicated to YukinoKara because she is an absolute _dear_, really, so go read her stories. ...I'll go read them too.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three  
**_Marching Orders_

**From:** Russell Tringham (blueeyedhunkhotmail. com)  
**To:** Edward Elric (fullmetalElricyahoo. com)  
**Subject: RE:** FUCK YOU WITH A SHARP STICK  
**Date:** March 11, Monday

_I just want you to know that I __really__ resent the subject line of this email. It insults my dignity. Besides, according to what you've been telling me, it's more likely that you'll be the one getting fucked with a sharp stick._

_Or something resembling a stick, if you know what I mean._

_Though knowing your stubbornness, you'd probably end up on top. Which is a compliment! It's a compliment, I swear! So don't type the next five lines in caps lock and spazz out over email. ...You're going to, I can tell already._

_But I digress. Really, it's cool with me that you're, you know, __gay__. Or bisexual with a strong tendency for the same sex, if that makes you feel any better. Please don't yell at me if it doesn't. I'm just trying to be a good friend. ...Heh heh._

_And it's good that you found a boyfriend. Though I know Heiderich will be practically heartbroken. I know you never noticed (or maybe you did and you just decided to keep it on the D.L. or something so you wouldn't have to reject him to his face), but he's been making lovesick puppy dog eyes at you since, uh, around the beginning of freshman year. Even though he's had several successive significant others. Which is weird, isn't it? He looks so much like your brother and, on your part, that would probably be practically incest._

_So it's probably a bad thing I just told you but TOO LATE NOW!_

_Besides, I think he's found a nice boy to settle down with._

_...And before you ask, __no__, it's not me. Does the name 'Clause' ring a bell? He's - well, __she's__ actually a girl, ahahaha, but she dresses like a boy all the time and has a real tomboy streak. And Heiderich's not actually gay; I think he just liked you because you're smart and funny (or so he thinks) and that braid really does make you look like a girl._

_Sorry, but it's true._

_Don't cut your hair though. You'd look weird as __hell__ with a military cut._

_Your long, ranting replies tie up my internet, so please go easy with the caps lock._

_-Russ_

---

The cell phone rang for the fifth time and Ed sighed, staring up at the ceiling. He had called Envy after he got home, just like he was supposed to, but the long-haired teenager wasn't picking up.

"_Hey, this is Envy. I'm not here right now, so leave a message. If you're creative about it I _might _call you back_."

Glaring, Ed opened his mouth to speak. "Hey, Envy, it's me. You told me to call but you're not picking up, so I guess -"

"_Please leave a message at the beep. BEEEEP!_"

"Oh, fuck," Ed swore, blushing furiously. "I mean, uh, hi, it's Ed. You told me to call but I guess you're busy or something so whenever you happen to get a chance, call me back. Bye."

He shut the phone and sat up with a sigh. Lately, Envy had been acting rather evasive - they would talk and hang out during school, sure, and call each other every night, but other than that, he seemed determined to make himself scarce every day after school and after karate was over. It was getting to the point where Edward actually noticed that he was being avoided (and Ed himself would admit, that meant it was pretty obvious).

Maybe it had something to do with the sex, Ed thought. Or lack thereof, rather.

Not that, you know, every relationship had to be based on sex. But maybe Envy was regretting his speech about why he didn't want to have sex. Maybe he did, but he thought Ed wouldn't, and so he was trying not to tempt himself.

"Or maybe," Ed said resignedly, "I am just reading _way_ too much into this."

"Reading way too much into what?" a bright voice asked in his doorway.

Ed jumped, sending the phone clattering off his bed and onto the floor. "Oh, shi- crap, Al, you scared me," he breathed, placing a hand over his rapidly beating heart.

"What were you doing?" Al asked mischievously. "You sound like you were up to something suspicious." He peered at Ed, who was wondering whether or not he was blushing yet. "You know, if you don't want to get caught, at least lock the door."

Frowning, Ed looked up the floor, where he had been scrabbling under the bed for the telephone. "Wait. What do you _think_ I was doing?"

"_I_ don't know," Alphonse replied innocently. "What do you think I think you were doing?"

Unsure of how to reply, Ed blinked, shook his head, and retrieved the phone, placing it on his bedside table. "I... don't want to know what you think," he said finally. "Why are you in here?"

"Can't I visit my darling big brother once in a while?"

"I vaguely recall you saying something like that when I was sick."

"Probably because I did."

Edward looked up at Al, smirking. "I think your visit made me sicker."

"Well you're not sick now, so -" Before Al could finish whatever he had intended to say, the phone rang loudly. Both brothers jumped for it.

Ed, mostly out of sheer luck, managed to grab it first, sticking out his tongue at a pouting Alphonse as he pressed the answer button. "Hello?"

"_Hey, um, Ed? It's, um, me_." Envy's voice sounded more unsure than usual and Edward found his eyes widening. He realized his reaction was a mistake when Al leaned closer and tried to snatch the phone from against his ear.

"Hi," he said, smacking Alphonse's hand away. "Sorry about the message. It was - haha, I started talking before the beep. You know how it is."

"Is it your boyfriend?" Al chirped with a grin at the same time Envy said, in his ear, "_Oh, no problem. It was my fault. I, um, I was busy and I didn't hear my phone ringing_." Envy gave a nervous laugh as Al asked again.

"Yeah, it is," Ed said.

"_It is what?_" Envy asked, sounding confused. Al cheered.

"Er, sorry, my brother's talking to me. Hang on." Edward took the phone from his ear and covered the mouthpiece with one hand, barely catching Envy's bewildered "_Okay_" before he rounded on his brother. "Al, stop trying to overhear my conversation!" he hissed.

"Why?" Al asked, widening his hazel eyes in a parody of innocence. "Are you going to say naughty things to each other?" He grinned.

"No, I - you - we -" Ed sputtered, quite at a loss for words. He groped for a pillow and threw it at his younger brother as hard as he could. "Out!" he said forcefully.

Alphonse, laughing, exited the room. "All right, all right," he said between bouts of giggling. "I'm outta here."

When Al finally shut the door behind him, Ed flopped back down onto his bed and put the phone to his ear. "Hey, sorry about that," he said with a sigh.

"_Oh, um, no problem_," Envy said nervously. There was a pause in which Ed couldn't think of a reply and Envy... waited. Edward wished he could see the long-haired teenager - talking face-to-face was so much easier. "_Um, Ed?_" Envy asked finally, in a very small voice.

"Yeah?"

There was another small pause. "_...Are you mad at me_?"

Ed, who was mentally smacking himself even as he opened his mouth, said the first thing that came to mind. "What the _hell_?"

Envy gave a laugh, or something that sounded like one. "_Yeah, I know, right? It's just, I know I've been kinda avoiding you after school and I thought it wasn't much of a big deal but Roy pointed it out to me today and he said that you might get the wrong idea and... yeah. Fuck, it's awkward talking over the phone_."

There was another pause where Edward racked his brains for a reply and Envy said nothing. "Um..." he began. "I'm not, uh, mad at you, not at all, but I was just wondering... if you're not mad at me, because I don't think you are - at least, I _hope_ you're not, and I'm pretty sure..." Realizing he was babbling and deciding to get to the point, Ed swallowed and asked, "Why _have_ you been avoiding me?"

"_If I said it was a secret_?" Envy asked, a note of droll humor evident in his tone of voice.

"I'd still be curious," Ed pointed out with a smile.

"_Well, it's a secret_," Envy said, and Ed groaned. "_But it has something to do with the spring festival at the end of this month_," the long-haired teenager amended quickly. "_And it's going to be totally awesome. So..._" Here he paused again, but the silence wasn't quite as awkward as it had been before. "_I'm sorry I'm not spending as much time with you as I should, because I know we don't have much time left together. But I think it's going to be _totally_ worth it_."

Edward smiled at the ceiling. "I trust you," he said. "But whatever it is, it had better be good."

---

**From:** Russell Tringham (blueeyedhunkhotmail. com)  
**To:** Edward Elric (fullmetalElricyahoo. com)  
**Subject: RE: RE:** FUCK YOUR MOM WITH A SHARP STICK  
**Date:** March 13, Wednesday

_You know... I __still__ don't appreciate the subject of this message. Why my mother? What has she ever done to you?_

_Anyway, I knew you would make the message as long as possible out of spite. Well, I hope you're pissed when I tell you I LIED because your stupid long emails don't __actually__ tie up my internet. Yeah, that's right. I have a high-speed connection. Are you jealous? You have to go to the library every two days to check __your__ email while I'm over here laughing at you from my computer. Which is in my room. Three feet away from my bed. Did I mention the high-speed internet?_

_Hahaha._

_To answer your question, no, Heiderich doesn't know that I told you and I'm planning to have it STAY that way. Sure, you could come up to him at lunch one day and be all, "Hey, guess what Russell told me, dur," but that would make things a shitload of awkward between you two, because, judging by your dumbfounded silence (or lack of caps lock ranty bits), you had no idea he was actually coming onto you. Regretting your boyfriend now, hot stuff?_

_Yes. Clause is that tomboy chick._

_I thought I said as much in my email. Guess not._

_Or maybe your head is as thick as your stature is short._

_AND here comes another ALL CAPS rant. Really, Ed, you're getting to predictable. I think you should suck it up and __not__ rant in your emails for once. If you got through a whole email without using multiple exclamation marks (like this: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) or abusing the caps lock key, I will be __shocked__._

_If you don't, I will shake my head, mutter "Just as I expected", and skip off to chase after rainbows in the unicorn meadow._

_Oh wait; you're already chasing rainbows over there._

_Okay, okay, that one was a little nasty. I'll stop with the gay jokes, I promise. And I promise I'm not being homophobic. So please don't walk up to me and punch me in the face when you get back to Germany, alright? ...Please?_

_Heiderich wants to know if you've been watching a lot of anime lately. What should I tell him?_

_-Russ_

---

The dojo was filled with humid air and stank of sweat, but after an hour-long workout, Ed realized he didn't really notice the smell anymore. Exhaling deeply, he reached up to wipe his sweaty forehead with the sleeve of his gi, panting. His bangs drooped listlessly over his eyes and when he shook his head to get them out of his face, little droplets of sweat spattered Envy, who was standing next to him, across the face.

Envy leaned away. "Geez!" he said, bringing up his hands to shield his face. "Ew!"

Ed laughed, giving him a sideways glance. "I'm sorry," he said, somehow managing to sound contrite through his grin. "I'll warn you before I do that again."

The long-haired teenager gave him a disgusted look as he swiped a hand across his cheek. "You had better." Then he sighed. "Damn. I really need to go home and eat and stuff, but Martel is taking _forever_." He nodded towards the mat, where the slender girl was still sparring with the stocky Dorchet.

"Why?" Ed asked curiously as Martel's overhead punch was blocked. "Are you taking her home?"

Envy shrugged. "More or less, I guess. I mean, in theory, Roy takes me home all the time or I find my way to Sloth's apartment. But she's been riding with us just so she can get an update on Sloth." He paused, and shook her head. "She's so obsessed it's stopped being cute."

Ed's eyes widened. "You mean they really...?"

But he never got to finish his question, because at that moment, as she was stepping back to avoid Dorchet's forward advance, Martel stumbled and fell backwards. Ed, Envy, and the rest of the members of the karate class could only watch as she flung out her arms behind her to break her fall.

Dorchet reached out to try to catch her at the same moment she hit the ground with a loud _snap!_, her right arm crumpling beneath her.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Izumi rushed forward, followed closely by her class. "Get back!" she commanded harshly, waving away the spectators. She fell to her knees beside the moaning Martel, lifting her up gently by her shoulders. "Your arm," she said. "Your wrist?"

Martel, biting her lip, managed a nod.

"Right one?"

Another nod.

"Don't move. Dorchet, grab the phone at the desk and get an ambulance over here now." The stocky man, now pale and shaken, ran to comply.

Edward felt someone grasp his wrist and looked up to see Envy, who was white-faced and tightlipped as he stared at Martel. The blonde opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. The silence in the dojo was oppressive, broken only by Martel's harsh gasps of pain.

It seemed as if they waited forever for the emergency crew, but when Ed looked at the clock, only five minutes had passed from the time Dorchet called to the arrival of the ambulance. White-coated paramedics examined Martel, gave her a shot of morphine - which seemed to take effect almost immediately, from the look of relief on the girl's face, and bound her wrist in an impromptu splint.

One of the crew, a woman with a red cross on her sleeve, took Izumi aside and talked to her in a low voice as Martel was loaded onto the stretcher and wheeled out. The karate teacher nodded gravely and sometimes replied in an equally quiet murmur. Finally, the dreadlocked woman turned to the crowd of students. "Envy," she barked. "Call Martel's house and tell her parents what happened to her."

Envy nodded, hurrying to the locker room, closely followed by Ed. "I'll call Sloth, too," he said as he picked up his cell phone with shaking hands. "She'll - I think she'd want to know what happened. And Martel will be happier to have Sloth visit her than she'd be to see her parents."

Edward, silent, nodded, and wandered out of the changing room to receive a drugged up smile from Martel, who was being wheeled back out to the ambulance.

"I think it's a bit of overkill," Roy's deep voice commented from behind him, and Ed jumped. "It _is _only a broken wrist, thank God. I really don't think the stretcher was necessary... Not that I'm being critical, or anything," he added quickly as Izumi joined their conversation.

"It's better to be too cautious than to leave room for error," she said grimly. "Edward."

Ed started. "Er, yes?"

"As you know, Martel was one of our brown belt leaders in the demonstration we're holding at the spring festival."

Izumi seemed to be waiting for his response so Ed, nonplussed, nodded. "I knew that."

"And now since she broke her wrist, she definitely won't be able to perform in two weeks. She'll need to be replaced."

At her pause, Ed nodded again. "I realize that, but I don't see what that has to do with -"

Izumi's glare could have melted steel. As it was, Ed's mouth snapped shut and he took a slight step backwards. "I was thinking that Paninya could replace her, but that means that someone will have to replace Paninya. Basically, everyone will go up a step. Which means that _you_, Edward, will be getting a part."

"I - what?"

"A part in our demo for the spring festival," Izumi elaborated. "It's not going to be very big or impressive, but you'll still be on stage, in the back. I know you've only been doing karate for about two months. Do you think you're up to it?"

"...Sure!" Ed said, shrugging. "I mean, I'd love to be some kind of help to you, really."

Izumi smiled and Ed jumped again, surprised at the rare expression. "That's wonderful, Ed. Now I've cleared that up, I think I'm going to follow the ambulance to the hospital to make sure Martel's alright." Still in her karate uniform, she slipped on her sandals and exited the dojo.

"Give her our best wishes!" Roy called after her, then turned to Ed. "Congrats, shorty."

"Don't call me short," Ed replied automatically, his ire slightly muted because of the solemn surroundings. "It's great I got a part, but it sucks that Martel had to get hurt for it..."

"I know," Roy replied. "She'll be pissed at you. _So_ pissed."

"I hope she's okay..." Edward said, ignoring Roy's gloating chuckle as he caught sight of Envy stepping out from the locker room. "Did you call?"

Envy nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Her parents are going to be there and Sloth will come visit her at home as soon as she can." He smiled. "God, I've been trying to get those two together for _ages_. It's so rewarding that it's finally beginning to work out." He glanced at Roy and Ed, who were giving him identical looks of bemusement. "What?"

"Er, nothing," Ed replied, shaking his head. "I got a part in the karate demo that's at the festival."

Contrary to his expectations, Envy looked absolutely horrified. He recovered quickly, though, managing a smile when Roy elbowed him in the ribs. "Really? That's, ha, that's great!"

Ed blinked, then decided that Envy's brief shock was a figment of his imagination, nothing else. "Isn't it, though?"

---

**From:** Russell Tringham (blueeyedhunkhotmail. com)  
**To:** Edward Elric (fullmetalElricyahoo. com)  
**Subject: RE: RE: RE:** I hate you.  
**Date:** March 16, Saturday

_Wow. You didn't rant. I'm..._

_Okay, I'll be honest and tell you that I'm actually __not__ surprised, because I told you not to rant so and I would be surprised but then I wasn't since I already knew, you know? ...Fletcher is yammering in my ear, so pardon me if this doesn't make any sense._

_Oh. He wants you to tell Al he says hi._

_I'm sure Al says hi back, too, Fletch._

_And Heiderich can't believe you're IN JAPAN and not watching anime._

_But he also wants to know if you can get him an original manga copy of, uh, what did he say. ....I don't even remember. I'll let you know next time, so you'll be able to get it before you come home. He promises he'll pay you back._

_Believe it or not, your threats are scarier when you're not doing your ALL CAPS LOCK thing. Honestly._

_Good job on getting into the karate demo, by the way. Too bad that chick had to break her wrist for the teacher to shove you in, though. I once broke my wrist in fifth grade, I think. Hurt like hell and the paramedics didn't even have a chance to give me morphine. I hope they gave that girl morphine. I've always wanted to try some._

_Anyway, I told Heiderich about your ninja skills. He was suitably impressed. And if I ever remember the name of that manga he wants, I'll be the first to let you know._

_-R._

* * *

That's that for now. We're nearing the home stretch, guys! Finally! Updates should be faster now since I've resolved to get this train wreck over with. But enough of my rants. Potions for Foxes and I have posted a Valentine's Day collaboration, a multi-chaptered one, called Stupid Cupid. It's under our joint account indigo Potions, and you should definitely, definitely check it out. If you love Ed and you love Envy (which I'm assuming you do if you're reading this), then you'll love the story. -thumbs up- Go read it and review. After you review this chapter.  
Please. -smile-


	24. In Which Ed Angsts Again

**Side By Side**

**Disclaimer:** I would say it's not my fault this chapter is so damn late, but... my fifth grade teacher taught me that there are no excuses. -bows-

WARNING: I'm actually dead, and writing this as a zombie. Really. Because I was threatened that if I didn't update by the end of June I'd be killed, and, wow, look at the date! My dedication to you guys is so great that I can rise from the dead to write more. I just... can't seem to update at a decent rate.

Songs: "The (Shipped) Gold Standard" by _Fall Out Boy_, "Only Fools Rush In" by _Elvis Presley_, "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from _Mulan_ (Izumi's song)

I believe I've gotten all of five chapters done over the course of an entire year. I'd say you're allowed to kill me for my lamentable work ethic but really, I already feel like killing myself... and if I died you wouldn't get any more updates... but I'm already dead (see the warning)...  
Ah, screw this. Just go read the chapter.

PS I haven't spellchecked this. That's what I get for rushing...

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**  
_In Which Ed Angsts... Again (But Other Stuff Happens Too)_

It was already Friday the twenty-second of March, nine days before they boarded the flight to return to Germany, and Ed didn't know anything about Envy at all. Well, he knew enough for them to have conversations - Envy did karate, hated school, loved music, was starting a band, had a pregnant sister Sloth and creepy brother Greed, liked shopping, loved candy - but nothing... _permanent_, really. Nothing that could sustain a long-distance relationship that spanned, well, nearly eight thousand miles. They had known each other for _three months_, for heaven's sake. There was no way a three month acquaintanceship and a one and a half month relationship could sustain that kind of stress.

Ed had never believed in true love, really. Who were the chick flicks kidding? No two people could stay together _forever_. It wasn't possible.

But that was his rational, scientist brain speaking. He _wanted_ to believe that he and Envy could last, even though Ed was going back to Germany soon (_too_ soon), and Envy would be remaining in Japan. Even though his stay in Japan had actually taught Ed more about the friends he had back home, and how they really were his friends. Even though Envy seemed dead set on starting some sort of career as a brilliant musician and would probably have fans from which he could take his pick.

_I'm being irrational_, Ed thought, though he wasn't sure if it was his hope or his denial of true love that was irrational. _And anyway, it doesn't matter. I'll be leaving no matter what_. But it was his choice whether he wanted to keep 'dating' Envy - however that would work - after he left Japan.

Well, his choice and Envy's, but...

The halls were emptying rapidly. Ed had been standing outside his classroom, lost in thought, but now he realized he probably should get inside. Hastily, he shouldered his bag and stepped through the door.

"_Roy_," Envy was saying as at the back of the room, apparently oblivious to Ed's entry. He was speaking in a low, desperate tone of voice. "We're going to have to reschedule the whole thing. I mean, if he's in the demo there's no way that there will be time for him to finish and get changed and he can't miss - oh, hey, Edo!" Cutting himself off with a warning squeeze to Roy's forearm, Envy grinned up at the blonde. "What's up?"

"What's the problem?" Ed asked curiously.

Roy opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Envy, who shoved his shoulder. "Nothing, no problem!" he said brightly. "Just working out some extra details for the festival, haha. It's going to be great! Our band's act is the right after the karate demonstration, halfway across the park, which is lame, isn't it? So you're going to hurry and get changed to be able to see us." His smile faded. "You will come to see us, right?"

"...Of course," Edward replied, slightly nonplussed. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Envy's happiness and relief was almost painful. He even blushed a little. "Oh, that's... that's great. I mean, it's really nervewracking -"

"What's nervewracking?" Roy asked, hitting Envy in the shoulder. ("_Ow!_") "You're not the one proposing marriage."

Ed blinked. "Proposing marriage?" If it wasn't Envy, could it be Roy that was planning the proposal? Maybe to Riza. He wasn't sure the legal age of marriage in Japan but it was probably somewhere around sixteen and they were both older than that...

"Oh, er, that is..." the dark-haired teenager began, seeming to realize for the first time that he had said a little too much. "I mean..."

"It's a surprise!" Envy said brightly. "Just... just stick around for the last song, why don't you?"

"Of course," Ed said again. "I already said I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"_Especially_ the last song, right?"

"Er... especially the last song."

Envy looked relieved once more. "That's great," he said, with heartfelt happiness. And then Marcoh-sensei stood up and began to take roll, and all three turned back to face the front of the room. The conversation was forgotten, at least for the moment.

---

"So what _are_ you guys planning at the festival?" Ed asked as they settled down at the table for lunch. He was curious, and had never been able to pass up the chance for new information. Al had once told him he had a 'mind like a steel trap', to which Ed had replied he had a steel brain in addition to a steel arm and leg. They had laughed - painfully.

Envy's head shot up. "Can't tell you, chibi!" he said brightly. "But it's definitely gonna knock your _socks_ off."

"Or maybe your _pants_," Roy interjected, smirking. "Though after what we have planned you'll probably take them off willingly -"

Both Ed and Envy turned bright red, and Envy shoved Roy so hard he nearly fell off the bench. "Shut _up_!" he said. "Seriously, Edo, I'd tell you but it's top secret." He smiled at Ed, then turned back to his food. "And anyway, you'll find out soon enough."

Edward sighed. It had been worth a try... He poked at his rice moodily, resing a chin on his hand, and stared at Envy. The long-haired teenager was staring past Ed across the cafeteria, his brow furrowed slightly like he was thinking hard. A few strands of greenish hair hung into his violet eyes and colored them vulnerable. His face was perfect, Ed thought, and then shook his head and looked away, taking another bite of food. It didn't matter.

He held onto that thought throughout his afternoon classes, and before he knew it, school had ended and he was waiting outside, marveling at the greenery that had sprung up in the past few weeks. The grass around the school was rapidly greening up, and flowers were beginning to sprout and poke through the layer of combined slush, ice, and fresh snow. Soon they'd be blooming. Soon any relic of winter would be gone. Soon he'd be gone.

"It's just as hard on my part, believe me," someone said behind him, and Ed jumped around. Envy was standing there, hugging his bookbag to his chest with a painful smile. "I can read your mind, Edo."

Ed wanted to hug him. He wrapped an arm around Envy's shoulder and Envy sighed a little and leaned into his touch. "I can't hang out with you after school right now, either," he said. "I mean, I really want to, like really _really _want to, but I have to practice. Okay?"

The blonde nodded reluctantly. "Okay," he said, tightening his arm a little. Envy smiled. "But you owe me. We're spending the weekend together, no matter what."

Envy's smile grew. "No matter what," he agreed. "We can take the train and go into town and then go to lunch and hang out at Sloth's house and watch movies..." His face suddenly fell. "Look, Edo, I _know_ I'm not spending as much time with you as I should. I should... should be spending every _minute_ with you, because that's all we have. I should..." Ed's hand was on his shoulder and he covered it with his fingers. "I should make the most of this before you have to go..." His voice was a whisper.

"Hey, hey," Edward said, jostling Envy a bit. "Don't talk like that. I know you have to practice with your band and everything, for the _surprise_ -" he permitted himself a smile "- and it's really important to you. And if it's really important to _you_, than it's important to me, too. And it's cool. I know whatever you're planning, it's going to be _awesome_, especially if you spend this much time practicing. Right?"

Envy gave him a shaky grin. "Right," he agreed. "But still..."

"Nuh-uh, don't even go there," Ed said quickly. "If you spend all the time we have regretting what you're doing, you won't have any fun. So you are going to smile, and you are going to go with Roy -" he pointed to an impatient-looking Roy Mustang, who was leaning against his car and giving the two of them a bored look "- and you will practice and you will do your best. And then we'll get together this weekend and we'll have a great time." He met Envy's eyes. "_Right_?"

"Right," Envy repeated firmly. He straightened, and gave Ed a quick, chaste kiss. "Thanks, chibi."

Ed smiled after him, and waved as Envy got into the car with Roy and Ling and drove away. Then he slumped, and looked around for Al and Winry. This... this sucked. If only he could convince himself of what he had just told Envy.

---

"Okay, Ed," Winry said brightly, barging into his room with barely an 'if you please'. Edward startled and looked up guiltily from his chemistry homework, where he found he had been doodling a heart. "It's time for you to stop moping around and put a smile on your face!" She punctuated her words with an exaggerated gesture, stretching out her lips with her fingers in a parody of a grin.

Ed blinked. "...What?"

"Come on, come on..." Winry bounced over to his desk and nudged him several times in his automail shoulder. "We have a surprise for you. Me and Granny Pinako, I mean, and Al too, I guess, but he doesn't really have anything to do with it..." She grinned at him.

"Um..." Edward still had absolutely _no_ idea what was going on. "That's nice?"

Winry smacked him. "It's more than nice! We should be saints; we've been working on this ever since you got here and Granny Pinako saw -" She cut herself off and smacked Ed again. He winced. "Hurry, it's in Granny's workshop in the garage. You'll love it, I promise."

"Right," Ed replied, getting to his feet and rubbing his sadly abused forehead. _Maybe if it's a way that I could stay with Envy without screwing one or both of us over_... But thinking like that was going to get him nowhere. He strode forward. "What is it?"

Looking terrifyingly enthusiastic, Winry escorted him downstairs and into Pinako's cluttered workshop, where a small vat of flesh-colored liquid was steaming gently. Ed took a step back, eyes wide. "What the _hell_ is that?" he asked with revulsion.

Winry glared at him. Apparently she had expected him to be ecstatic upon seeing the pot of... of... "Skin," she said succinctly. "Your skin."

"My _what_?!" Ed yelled, jumping back.

"A covering for your automail," Pinako explained, apparently amused by Ed's shock. "It looks like skin. Less questions, less awkwardness..." She shrugged. "I could tell when you got here that you hated how it stood out, so I thought this would help."

Ed looked at it. "What will you do?"

"First," Pinako said, "We'll need to make a plaster cast of your automail arm and leg, make a mold of that, and then coat it with this synthetic rubber complex and let it dry. It comes out looking very realistic. We can even match your skin tone." She crossed her arms and watched him.

Edward took a hesitant step forward and peered into the container. It smelled like rubber and looked highly dangerous. But if he wore something like this, he'd be able to hide his automail. People wouldn't stare at him if he ever wore short-sleeved shirts, and they wouldn't ask awkward questions if he took off his gloves. He wouldn't have to always hide himself...

But, he realized, he didn't _have_ to hide himself in the first place. There was nothing stopping him from wearing short sleeves except what other people thought. And...

And Envy hadn't cared, he remembered. It hadn't mattered to Envy when he found out; in fact, he had barely commented. He had just accepted it as a normal fact of Ed's existence. And he liked him anyway.

Ed bit his lip and thought hard. Did it matter - _really_ matter - if people stared? Would it change his life for the better if he hid his automail, hid what made him different? What was wrong with being different in the first place? Why was he so worried about what other people thought?

Envy hadn't cared. And he had friends - he had Envy, Ling, Winry, Roy in Japan; Russell, Heiderich, Alphonse in Germany. It wasn't as if they'd just ditch him because he was different in such a... such a superficial way. And hiding his automail so permanently was like... denying a part of who he was. Sure, the loss of his arm and leg were painful - _excruciatingly_ painful memories - but without them, he wouldn't be who he was today. By denying them, it was like... denying himself.

_How corny_, Ed thought, scoffing a little at himself. But it was true.

"Actually..." he said slowly, looking nervously between Winry and Pinako. "I-I appreciate everything you've done for me and that you made this in the first place, but... I'm going to have to decline." He stared at his feet. He was wearing socks at the moment, but he knew one foot was metal and impervious to the cold, while the other one was flesh and fragile and all too human. "I... I decided that it's best I don't because it's like... it's like hiding who I am. And I can't do that." He was blushing, he knew it, and hoped Winry and Pinako didn't hate him too much for his decision, especially after all the time they had spent working on this.

There was silence in the room, and Ed finally dared to look up. "I'm really sorry," he said. He felt horrible - but now he knew there was no way he could accept their offer.

Pinako's creased face broke out into a smile. "Don't be," she said in her gravelly voice, and Ed blinked in shock. "I appreciate your honesty. And your courage. Not many people would have made the same choice..."

"But all that work!" Ed protested. He was unable to accept the fact that Pinako could have just let it go - shouldn't she be at least a little mad?

But her smile grew wider. "Don't worry about it. You know how many customers would want this, and _pay_ for it too?" She chuckled. "It's fine. Go back to your homework."

Winry trailed him back upstairs and into his room. "I can't believe you did that," she sighed. "And we were _so_ ready to make a mold and everything..." She flopped down onto his bed and sighed. "But I guess I can see where you're coming from, you being damnably upright and honorable and..." A pause. "_German_."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ed asked, bristling. She was taking all his noble posturing and making him a laughingstock! Sort of. "Why aren't you bugging Al? Thought you guys were best friends or something."

She shrugged. "He's studying for a test tomorrow. It's going to be really hard. I don't want to bug him."

"So you're bugging me instead..." Ed muttered.

"Don't be a grouch," Winry said. She looked at him with limpid blue eyes. "After all, this is distracting you from Envy, right? You worrywart. You think too much; just let it go. You're leaving in nearly a week, everyone knows. Just make the most of what you have! You're not going to change the future by moping around... and you're not going to get better grades, either." She paused for a breath and then laughed. "Who am I kidding; I don't even know what I'm saying."

But Ed knew. He knew all too well.

---

With the spring festival coming up in only a few days (four now; Ed was counting), Izumi was working them extra hard in an effort to make them 'shape up' for their demonstration. This meant working their asses off during class and even spending half an hour after to make sure everything was synchronized and correct. Ed's part was rather boring, he would freely admit - being one of the lowest ranked performers, he was near the back and in charge of simple moves.

On the other hand, Envy and Roy, as some of the highest ranking students in the adult class, were near the front, and had considerably flashier moves in ther choreography. For example, at one point Roy was supposed to break a stack of ten boards with a single axe kick. And break two bricks simultaneously with his hands. Envy refused to break things, with the excuse that his hands would get callused and ugly, but had nothing against doing a form demonstration with the sword.

It was almost kinda cheesy - like something you'd find in a Chinese kung-fu movie - that their demonstrations were all set to music. Ed learned to execute a downblock at one point in the fast-paced, driving song, a high sidekick at another. He was set to drill with the other lower belts. Their movements would provide background to the black belts' demonstrations. There would probably be lights on the stage, too; pyrotechnics and things like that. Although her karate school might not be the wealthiest one around, Izumi-sensei certainly didn't skimp when it came to her demos.

Ed gave a small groan as he slipped out of his gi top and into a t-shirt. His shoulders were sore from the exercise and they would probably be even more so tomorrow - but that was good, it meant he was getting the exercise he needed! He slipped out of the crowded room to join Envy and Roy, who had both changed quite a bit earlier (Ed had been discussing the usage of various techniques with Izumi, which had held him up a little). The pair were chatting with Martel, whose black wrist brace looked out of place on her graceful form.

"It's actually a good thing that I can't do the demonstration this year," she was saying. "I'm not used to big parts like the one Izumi-sensei says I was gonna have. And I still didn't know the routine... So I guess, in a way I'm pretty lucky!" She tapped her brace and grinned.

Envy opened his mouth to reply but broke off when he saw Ed. He grinned at the blonde, and Edward smiled back. The weekend had been great - Ed had actually convinced Pinako (well, it had been Winry who had needed most of the persuasion) to allow him to sleep over at Sloth's currently vacant apartment (she was staying with her mother for a while, apparently) with Envy. They had watched movies and talked and stayed up late and Ed had tried his hardest not to think of how soon he was leaving.

He greeted Envy with a kiss on the cheek, but addressed the sinewy blonde. "It's good to see you, Martel."

She glanced between him and Envy with a raised eyebrow, but replied with, "You too. I hope you don't mind having to do the demonstration now that I'm out. It would have probably been cooler - and easier - just to watch."

Ed rotated his sore shoulders. "I'm getting exercise," he said and grinned. "That makes it all okay."

"Are you kidding?" Envy asked. "I hate exercise!"

Roy elbowed him. "Coming from the one who used to show up at karate four days a week?"

Envy stuck his tongue out at the dark-haired teenager. "Shut up, you showed up five days."

"Come now, children," Martel said, and Ed laughed at the identical looks of consternation she received. "If I'm not mistaken, tonight's the night that we get together for dinner! I dragged myself all the way out here to get together with you dumbasses - and Paninya," she said, nodding at the younger girl that had just bounced over to join them, "and your bickering is not going to stop that. Come on." She grabbed Roy and Paninya by their wrists and began towing them outside. After a moment, Ed and Envy followed.

Envy slipped his fingers into Ed's hand as soon as they exited the dojo. Ed's _automail_ hand, and Ed wasn't wearing gloves for once, and it was shiny and metal and cold. Ed looked down. He couldn't feel a thing. "Don't you mind?" he asked Envy, staring at his hand. He had already refused Pinako's offer of the synthetic skin but now he was wondering if he should be regretting it. It had seemed so clean cut at the time, and now he was making an effort not to hide his automail, but still...

"Mind what?" Envy asked, smiling at him and bringing up Ed's metal hand to kiss the cold steel fingers. "I don't even know what you're talking about."

* * *

Ahaha that was cute, wasn't it? Anyway, once again I apologize for the lamentable update rate and (maybe) the lamentable quality of this chapter. I figured I'd finish it as soon as possible because I'm going on vacation, um, Thursday next week I believe. YAY BEACH! But yeah, I'm going to try and update faster... I don't know how many times I've said that but I mean it this time... Argh. Stupid Cupid has been eating my mind; it's linked in my profile and you should go read it. Things are happening.

Also, this is the second to last chapter, if all goes as planned~! Aren't you excited? If I'm lucky enough to get 18 reviews between now and the time I put up the next chapter, my 500th reviewer will get a oneshot of their choice; details to be discussed if/when it happens.

And finally, I've been thinking of a new fanfiction idea... but I need to figure some things out first, the most important of which being: _Why would two people hate each other?_ And not for romantic reasons. _Has there ever been someone you just can't stand? And why? What did they think about you?_ Reviews and help on this question will be much appreciated.


	25. The Beginning and End of the End

**Side by Side**

**Disclaimer:** No tengo FMA.

WARNING: This chapter is late and contains terribly written song lyrics. Some of them rhyme. One of them, a folk song, does not, because I took it directly from Japanese to English translation and (un)fortunately accuracy of meaning is preferable to pleasing rhyme who knew! But yeah. Whoosh. Also, _this is the last chapter_. (There's an epilogue, though.)

Songs: "Where I'd Rather Be," by _Absent Elk_. There are probably plenty more songs but frankly I'm too tired to look.

So yeah, like I mentioned before, **this is the last chapter**, and I'd like to dedicate it to all you reviewers who stood by me through thick and thin and continued to read even though the update rate has been absolutely terrible! I'm so glad to have gotten this far and not died yet. You guys are great and each review makes my day, and this one goes out to all of you.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**  
_The Beginning and End of the End_

It was crowded, this much-anticipated spring festival, Ed thought as he walked through the gates of the high school already dressed in his karate pants with a long-sleeved shirt on top - the night was slightly brisk, too brisk to make short-sleeved shirts worth it. He was jostled on all sides by throngs of people. Who knew a festival hosted by the school would be so popular? But then again, nearly everyone in Central viewed this as _the_ social occasion of the summer, and groups that were affiliated with the high school by only the merest thread were also participating - take, for example, Izumi-sensei and her karate class, of which Ed was a part.

And speaking of Izumi-sensei and her karate class, if Edward didn't get there soon, he was in for a _world_ of hurt.

He quickened his pace, dodging through clumps of people, the bag containing the rest of his karate uniform and a change of clothes swinging loosely from his shoulder. The group was getting together in one two adjoined classrooms co-opted by the festival organization committee to serve as dressing and preparation rooms. One of them was actually his English classroom, and as he hurried through the door he thought for a moment that Nikuya-sensei, "_Barry_," would be waiting for him with a demented grin and a butcher knife.

Luckily - or perhaps unluckily - the figure lurking behind the door was Izumi-sensei, with a wooden bokken instead of a knife. Ed dodged out of instinct, but her hand had come out to clap him on the back. "Made it just in time, Edward," she said, perhaps with an anxious edge to the cheer in her voice. "I'm giving everyone two more minutes, and then the latecomers will be getting a taste of this." Her grin was, quite honestly, terrifying as she hefted the short wooden staff.

Ed winced and dodged again out of reflex, then moved into the next classroom. It was filled with people and chatter, and he hurriedly placed his bag down on top of a desk and stripped off his shirt - when in locker rooms, modesty tended to vanish. As he shrugged on his uniform top, he idly wondered whether the school had installed security cameras in the room, and whether some security guard in an office somewhere had this room on every screen, drooling voyeuristically at the shirtless (and occasionally pantsless) people that filled the room.

That was a rather unpleasant thought and he made a face as he tied his belt, tightening it decisively. His stomach had begin to twist in anxiety over the presentation ahead, even though, rationally, he knew he was going to be at the very back of the stage, he only had to execute several simple moves, he had been practicing for almost as long as he could remember (okay, that was a lie, but it summed up his feelings well enough), and it wasn't like anyone was going to see him, anyway. But he would still be on _stage_, there would still be lights shining on him, he wasn't sure if he could remember the third move in the second musical sequence...

He drummed his fingers on the desk and looked around for Roy or Envy. Surprisingly - or maybe he wasn't that surprised at all, really - neither were in sight. At that moment, from the outer classroom, there came the sound of shouting and crashing desks. Perhaps Barry had somehow popped out from underneath the teacher's desk, Ed thought irrationally. Perhaps he and Izumi-sensei were currently fighting a grand battle royale for control of the karate school, using kung fu moves and, in Nikuya-sensei's case, a large cleaver. That image was so strong, Edward nearly went to the door to look out - but all his questions were answered when Roy and Envy, both looking rather wide-eyed and disshevelled, tumbled into the dressing room.

Envy spotted Ed almost immediately, hurrying over and wrapping his arms around him. As Edward blushed and looked around nervously - was this really appropriate behavior in a dressing room? - Envy squeezed like a python and buried his nose in Ed's neck. "That Izumi-sensei," came his muffled voice, "tried to _kill_ us. She _would_ have killed us, if Roy and me hadn't been in the front row!" He shuddered in mock terror, or perhaps he was actually terrified. Ed wouldn't put it past Izumi-sensei to strike the fear of God even into _Envy's_ heart.

He patted Envy's back. "That's what you get for being late, isn't it?" he asked, unable to keep a note of amusement from creeping into his voice. He looked at Roy, who had already begun to take off his shirt and change into his karate uniform. Roy seemed the most coherent of the two at the moment. "Why _are_ you two late, anyway?"

Roy shrugged. "We have another -" He was cut off by a muffled noise of protest from Envy. "I mean," he amended, giving Envy a disparaging look over his shoulder, "we had some, uh, _preparations_ to take care of, and things, and yeah, took time, yup."

"Well, that was vague," Ed commented, rolling his eyes. He poked at Envy's shoulder. "You should get up, get changed, En."

"Don't wanna," came that muffled voice. "You smell nice."

Roy hummed as he tied his own belt. "I'm pretending I didn't hear that," he said in a sing-song voice. "If you two want to be a mushy pair of lovebirds, save it for after the festival. Izumi-sensei is standing in the doorway, and she doesn't look happy."

Izumi-sensei was, indeed, leaning against the doorframe, slapping her bokken against her hand menacingly. Ed coughed and poked again at Envy's shoulder awkwardly, trying to ignore the way Envy's breath tickled the side of his neck and, more importantly, how Envy had slipped his hand into Ed's gi and was currently tracing designs on his chest. "She's looking this way," he told Envy. "I'd start getting dressed if I were you."

With a groan, Envy peeled himself away from Ed and took stripped off his shirt. Ed looked away - perhaps modesty was oft forgotten in the claustrophobic heat of locker rooms and surrogate locker rooms, but he didn't want to be salivating over Envy, especially this close to a performance on stage. When Envy was tying his belt, Ed turned around again. "Five minutes," he said after an instinctive glance at the clock. His stomach knotted a little tighter. Soon they would be out on the stage set up in the large central courtyard of the school, the spotlights would be shining, the musice would be turned on...

Envy seemed to catch the worried note in his voice. The teenager's eyes flicked to Ed and as he finished pulling his hair into a striped green ponytail, he had smiled. "Don't worry, Edo," he said, and, his messy ponytail finished, patted Ed's shoulder. "You'll do great."

Ed believed him. "Yeah," he said, feeling warmth spread back into his cold fingers.

"Anyway," Roy added, slapping Ed on the back as he passed, "you're in the back _row_; it doesn't even matter."

"Gee, thanks," Ed replied. At least Envy had been nice about it. Truth be told, he didn't really mind being the back row. Or rather, Envy and Roy were in the front and he was excited to see Envy, at least. He flexed his prosthetic limb, forming it into a fist.

At the door, Izumi-sensei was already yelling at them to line up. "Come on, come on!" she called, her strident voice carrying over the ambient noise of the changing room. "We're on in ten! Everyone, line up!"

They had practiced lining up together before, filing in by height and skill level. Ed took his place near the back; Roy and Envy were at the front. He passed Martel, who winked, and Paninya, who grinned widely and gave him a thumbs up.

The rest of the waiting passed like a heady dream, where Ed was dazzled by the stage lights and the loud music. They had practiced to this routine before, of course; he was simply not used to it being played so _loud_, and on such large speakers. The crowd cheered wildly as they set themselves up on stage. Being in the back, Ed couldn't see Winry or Al or Pinako or anyone at all. In fact, he could barely see Roy and Envy - _not_, mind, because he was the s-word (short) or anything like that, but because there were lots of people okay and he had to focus on what he was doing.

And focus he did, timing every movement to the beat of the music, feeling in sync with the other performers as though all of them were part of some vast moving, breathing organism; a single creature that moved with a single mind.

He was actually surprised when the performance was over, and so was the audience, it seemed, for there was a tiny, breathless pause before applause and cheering broke out louder than Ed had ever heard it. He beamed. Even though he was in the back row, he beamed, because he _knew_ they had done well and he knew that he had been a part of it all.

Izumi was beaming as well, though the next moment, as she stepped out onto the front of the stage, she had resumed her normally stern expression. "Thank you, thank you!" she said, waving to the crowd as they began to file out, those in the back leaving first. "Once again, those were my students demonstrating the style _Shizuka na Ame!_"

In the changing room, the chatter was loud and elated as the various students congratulated each other (and themselves) while returning to their festival clothes. Ed looked around for Envy and Roy and found them already dressed. "Hey, guys, great job!" he said, coming over with a smile.

Envy whirled around to blink at Ed, startled, and grabbed Roy's arm. Roy grinned. "You too, though I didn't really see you through the crowd," he replied. Was that a short joke? "We have to get going now."

"_Now_," Envy said through clenched teeth, and Ed noticed his grip tighten on Roy's arm.

"Uh," Ed said intelligently.

"Sorry, pal; it'll be worth it," Roy said and saluted Ed before Envy dragged him off without a backward glance.

Edward watched the pair leave, feeling... well, left out, quite honestly. Because Envy and Roy had been best friends before he had even met Envy, and would be best friends even after he was gone. Especially after he was gone...

He sighed. But his melancholy was short lived, interrupted by Winry and Al bursting into the changing room. "Ed!" Winry said as Al called, "Brother brother brother!"

Ed couldn't help but laugh. "What?" he asked, bemused, as they tugged his arms.

"Come on!" Alphonse said. His face was glowing. "You guys were _great_ on stage, but you need to change quickly!"

"Why?" Ed asked as Winry shoved his shirt into his face.

"Hurry, hurry!" she said, not answering. "Otherwise you'll miss something!"

Alphonse was already undoing Ed's belt, and Ed hit at his hands. "Get off me, I can do it!" he said, laughing but at the same time more than a little curious. "Really, what's up?" he pressed, removing his belt and tying it carefully.

Winry was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "It's a surprise," she said breathlessly, grinning, "but if you don't change now, we're going to miss it!"

Ed gave her a pointed look, and she turned around. "Sorry!"

"Thanks." Quickly, excited for the surprise in spite of himself, he changed his clothes and rebraided his hair. Which reminded him (for some odd reason)... "Did you guys see Roy and Envy? They ran away pretty fast and I was wondering if you had any idea..."

Alphonse opened his mouth, as if to reply, but Winry smacked him on the chest ("Ouch!") and grabbed Ed's wrist, pulling him towards the door. "Don't worry about it!" she said. "Just get over here!"

The mechanically-fixated girl was stronger than expected, Ed thought wryly as he stumbled forward, unable to help but be dragged by her superior strength. "Alright, alright," he said, tugging on his shoes and hurrying to catch up. Alphonse, beside him, grinned, and the three stepped out into the festive spring night.

Winry and his brother brought Ed to another stage, this one set up for what looked like a band - if the keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, and microphone already on stage were any indication. The instruments were only now being set up and plugged in by a crew of tired-looking men, all with the red STAFF shirts.

"Really, what's going on?" Ed asked as he found himself being shoved to the crowd so they could get closer to the stage. "Sorry!" he said almost immediately, as Winry nearly pushed him into an elderly couple. "Winry, calm down, no one's even out yet!"

Of course at that moment the emcee finally decided to saunter onstage. He was wearing a traditional yukata even though his hair was spiked and dyed red at the tips. It was... an interesting fusion of cultures, Ed though.

"Good evening Resembul!" the man shouted, waving at the assembled crowd. There really were a lot of people here, Ed though, and he recognized many of them from high school. "So far you've seen some of the finest bands our area has to offer, from the traditional taiko drumming group _Hyoushi_ to the teenage pop quartet Love-Beat! But now it's time for the act we've all been waiting for!"

The audience cheered. Ed, nonplussed, stared at the emcee.

"While the members of this band are still in school, their catchy rock tunes, along with the eccentricity of their lead singer, have helped their steady rise to fame, both in the Resembul area and around Tokyo! For these boys, there's nowhere to go but up! I introduce _Orobouros!_"

The audience _screamed_ as the emcee bowed and jumped off the stage. The lights dimmed; several spotlights were focused on the stage. There was a sudden flurry of activity in the wings and then Ling stepped out, waving and looking around with his characteristic smile, stepping up to the piano.

_Oh_, Ed thought as Roy Mustang followed, slinging the bright red guitar over his shoulder and strumming a loud chord. And then another _oh_, but for an entirely different reason, as Envy walked out onto the stage, looking absolutely _gorgeous_.

He was wearing - really, it didn't matter what he was wearing; lots of black and skintight garments that, with his violet eyes and feral grin, made him look like a predator. Ed forgot to clap, so lost was he in admiing Envy's appearance.

The teenager picked up the bass guitar, putting the strap over his shoulder, and then cleared his throat, stepping up to the microphone. "Hey there," he said with a wink.

Right now, the screaming crowd seemed to consist mostly of preteen girls, or maybe those were the loudest ones. Ed, now at the front and in the row closest to the stage, was nearly deafened.

"So," Envy said once the cheering had died down, "I'm Envy. That's Mustang, we call him Ponyboy for short." Roy Mustang made a face, and Ed chuckled. "And back there is Ling. If he stops smiling, something is very, very wrong, and you should run." Ling stuck out his tongue. Envy grinned and turned back to the audience. "So, since this is a spring festival and all, I'd thought we'd start out in a more traditional manner, yeah? Here goes."

He stepped back from the microphone as Ling began to play a keyboard solo, with rising and falling arpeggios. Roy joined in with long, sustained chords. And then Envy opened his mouth and began to sing a simple, traditional Japanese melody.

_Somewhere, somewhere...  
Spring is on its way.  
Somewhere, somewhere...  
A stream begins to flow again_.

_The cold east winds of March still blow  
But somewhere, somewhere...  
Spring is on its way_.

He took a breath and let the piano and guitar melody drift across the hushed crowd. Roy broke out into a guitar solo, quietly at first but then crescendoing into a crashing series of chords, Ling backing him up on piano. The melody speeded up and Ed tapped his foot with the increasing tempo.

Finally, Envy opened his mouth again.

_It's cold out here, but I know  
You're in there somewhere, waiting;  
My bated breath, my frozen breath,  
Signals something changing._

His voice was loud and confident, and his face seemed to glow under the stagelights. This, Ed thought, was what Envy was meant to do.

_It's you, or is it me?  
Beyond the edge of that winter sky;  
It's us - so could it be?  
I'm waiting, wondering, asking why  
And you, your perfect eyes,  
And your smile; it gives me all the answers  
I need_...

The rest of the song seemed to pass in a fast-paced blur, Ed caught up in the motion of the crowd. It was an experience similar to their karate demonstration, when he had felt himself but one human in a mass of humanity; a single cell in a living, breathing organism. He could feel Winry to one side of him, jumping up and down excitedly, and Al to the other side, more reserved as usual, but still thrilling to the music. Most of all, though, he could see Envy, he could_ feel_ Envy on stage, breathing to the rhythm, singing so his lungs might burst. He had never felt so connected to another human in his life.

With a decrescendo, a slowing down, and a last, light tinkle of piano notes, the song ended and the crowd burst into applause. Ed applauded too, finally breaking out into a smile as he came back to himself. Envy's face was glowing with a faint sheen of sweat under the bright lights; he wiped his forehead and searched the crowd. Ed waved - a little - and Envy found him. Their eyes met for a second and Envy beamed as well.

"All right!" he said. "Now that we're all warmed up, let's get down to _business_." He gave a wild, toothy grin as the crowd screamed again, and Roy let loose with a loud major chord. "I'm gonna rock your world with a rendition of my theme song, _Envy_."

Edward laughed at this blatant egotism and watched as the song began. Once again he felt part of the crowd, this time pulsing with the heavy beat provided by Envy's bass and Ling's keyboard. This song, though, wasn't as surprising or as engrossing as the first, and so Ed let it pass by in a haze of motion, noise, the light reflecting off Envy's eyes and skin.

The same happened with their next song, the title of which Ed didn't quite catch, but the melody of which was quiet, a slow crescendo, and somehow imbued with enough foreboding to make him, in the front row, nervous of some impending catastrophe.

It was a good song - but he was glad when it was over. "And now," Envy said, grinning at the crowd (which was looking slightly more subdued; that, Ed thought, was the mark of a good artist, to emote so much that the crowd made those emotions their own), "it's time for our final song. This song... I wrote it pretty recently, y'know, so it might not be the best." He grinned sheepishly, rubbed the back of his neck. "But I also wrote it with a certain person in mind, so hey," and now he looked through the crowd and found Ed's eyes for the second time that night, "you know who you are."

Ed blinked, mouth slightly agape, but Roy had already launched into the first sustained chord. "_Side by Side, _folks!" Envy said, and began to sing.

_As I look into your eyes  
(And they're golden just like you),  
I see some paradise,  
Some place that's wholly new._

This first stanza was a capella, backed only by the fading noise of Roy's single guitar chord. As Envy took a breath to go to the next verse, Ling launched into a quiet piano backup that grew slowly but inexorably louder.

_When I feel your hand in mine  
And run my fingers through your hair,  
It's like we've been here before,  
It's like we're already there_.

Here, Envy took a break to smile down at Ed, who felt his throat constrict somehow. This... he hadn't expected this, it was beyond all his dreams and... Hell, he wished he could even come close to reciprocating this gesture.

But the song went on and Envy looked back up, glancing at Roy, who launched into the guitar part. It was a series of chords and arpeggios that provided a counterpoint to Envy's voice.

_And I can write all kinds of words  
Or I could say these silly things,  
But when it comes down to it,  
You're the one who makes me sing._

Envy hummed as Roy launched into a guitar solo, with Ling's backing. He really was a good guitar player, Ed thought, but that was only a momentary observation and really, he was thinking of the way Envy's hair fell over his face and the shadows it cast over his lips; the way Envy's left hand, the one not grasping the microphone, was hanging at his side, fingers curled together loosely.

And then Envy took a breath and Ed's attention was suddenly drawn back to his face. Their eyes met. Ed couldn't breathe.

"So..." Envy said, and then laughed because his voice had come out a little weak. He swallowed, smiled, and started again.

_So I'll say it once again for you,  
Though we've both already tried.  
Just take my hand and come with me,  
We'll walk together, side by side..._

Envy held out his hand for the last few chords of the song, as it wound down into silence, holding Ed's eyes all the while. Then the wild applause broke the spell and Envy grinned, looking out onto the crowd, his hand falling to his side. Ed wondered if he had missed some kind of vital opportunity, if that moment had meant everything and was now gone. He let his own hand fall back to his side as wel, still dazed.

"Alright!" Envy said, waving madly to the crowd. "That's the end of our concert! Hope you loved it!" He waited for the ensuing applause to die down before he continued. "We have CDs for sale at the front - they're professionally recorded," here he winked, "and t-shirts and things. Have a great rest of the night!" And then he saluted, put the microphone back in its stand, and strolled off the stage, Roy and Ling tagging along behind him.

The night quieted down substantially as the spring festival petered out. First the performances ended and then, one by one, the small booths and rides closed. They were extinguishing the brightly colored paper lanterns now, Ed could see from their spot atop a grassy hill overlooking the area.

He didn't really care about the lanterns, though.

"I know it sort of sucked, as a song, I mean," Envy was saying, tracing a design on their entwined hands. "It didn't really have a refrain. It was more of a poem than anything. But I thought, you know..." He laughed.

Edward smiled. "_I_ liked it. I thought it was the best." He lifted Envy's fingers to his lips and kissed them. "I... I can't believe you wrote that. For me."

"Well," Envy demurred. "It's what I do, you know? Music, and songs, and stuff..." Ed felt Envy's lungs expand as he breathed in, and then heard him exhale into the night. "Figured it would be a good... you know."

At first, Ed didn't know. But then he thought about it. "A good goodbye," he said, finishing Envy's sentence. "Yeah." He... he supposed this really was goodbye, in the most permanent, irrevocable sense. "I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow."

There was a long pause and the only thing that alerted Ed to Envy's presence was the steady rise and fall of Envy's chest against Ed's arm. "Yeah," Envy said finally. "I... It kind of sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Ed agreed. He didn't want things to end on this strained, awkward note. They were barely more than just friends. They hadn't really even _done_ anything, and so help him, they weren't going to _do_ anything because the last thing either of them needed was to make this any harder. "You know," he continued, mostly to fill up the silence before it grew awkward, "I never imagined _any_ of this would happen, when I came over to Japan." He smiled a bit. "The most I hoped for was for things to suck less than they did at home."

Envy laughed after a moment of (Ed imagined) debating whether or not it was acceptable to laugh. "That... I hope they got better," he added, sounding almost shy.

Edward smiled and wrapped his arm more securely about Envy's waist, touching his cheek lightly with his other hand, the automail one. "Oh, they did," he said, and brushed his lips against Envy's cheek. "They got so much better. And when I go back," he added, because these things needed to be said for his own sake as well as Envy's, "I'm going to miss you more than _anything_. But... I think things will be better, too, because I've known you."

"You're so fucking sappy," Envy said, shoving at Ed in mock disgust. "It's ridiculous." But he laughed anyway and brushed his lips against Ed's cheek. Then he seemed to diminish, and sigh. "I wish... I dunno. You weren't here long enough."

"I know, I know," Ed said and stared up at the stars, which had been visible for a while. It was a wonderful cloudless day. "Here feels like home, more than anywhere I've ever been."

There was another silence, where Envy occupied himself with brushing his fingers lightly over Ed's face and Ed continued to stare up at the sky. "So why don't you stay?" Envy blurted out finally. "Pinako would let you! And it's not like you have anything to go home to and here there's Hughes and Izumi and Winry Roy and Ling and... me."

_Yeah, and that's the problem_, Ed thought. "I know," he said again out loud instead. "I know that here, I'd be happier. Or at least, it's easier to be happy here." Gently pushing Envy off him, he sat up. "But... _there_, I have Al. I have my school. I have a life I just sort of left, without really explaining why or saying goodbye. I have friends and really, now... I realize things aren't as bad as they seemed. I just... I have _responsibilities_."

"And they're more -" Envy began, and Ed had a feeling he knew what he was going to say. But then he stopped. "I guess... I see what you mean," Envy continued after a while, amending his previous statement. "I mean, if I just up and left... I have a band, and people that count on me, and Sloth and her baby..." He sighed. "Responsibilities _suck_."

"They do," Ed agreed and smiled, reaching down to run his fingers lightly through Envy's hair. "I'm going to miss you _so_ much."

"... Me too," Envy said, leaing into the touch, catlike as usual. "But I mean, we're not together. _Together_ together."

Ed had a feeling that Envy was asking a leading question, and resolved to tread carefully. "Er..." he replied. "Not... officially, no?"

"Alright," Envy said and sat up, removing Ed's hand from his hair only to lace their fingers together again as he crossed his legs and leaned forward, nose only centimeters away from Ed's cheek. "Can we be together? Can we make it official? Even though I'm stuck here and you're all the fucking way in Germany, can we try?"

It took Ed a few seconds to consider the consequences of such a relationship. With Envy, the costs were far outweighed by the benefits. He tightened his hand on Envy's. "Yeah," he said, and leaned closer so that their lips were nearly brushing. "We can." And then he kissed him.

It was his last night in Japan.

* * *

Don't worry folks, there's an epilogue. In this economic crisis, reviews are more precious than gold and would be much appreciated (and also a great incentive for me to finish the epilogue before the end of spring break)!


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